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A recent story in the Anniston Star is causing quite a stir on the Internet. We often hear about communities ranting about prom season and the recent trend of young ladies showing up to the prom looking like street walkers. We have all seen the oft-e-mailed photos of girls in pasties and young men with pimp cups. We have called for increased accountability across the board from the parents and the school administration for enforcing standards of appropriate dress at these events. Well, one high school principal agreed that women's wear at proms was getting a little too sleazy and decided to do something about it. But has he gone too far? At Oxford High School, a school in Calhoun County, Ala., prom dress codes are strictly enforced. Some say too strictly. This year, the Anniston Star reports that 25 students were disciplined for violating the prom dress code. The strangest part of the story, though, is that the students were allowed to stay at the prom, but the following week, they had to choose the option of receiving corporal punishment (by paddling) or a three-day suspension.
Who knew you could still paddle kids in some parts of the country? Nice.
The principal, Trey Holladay, defends the policy stating that, "We're using the same policy we've had for the last five years. Being a parent, I want to make sure girls and guys act accordingly. We're a high school, and our community has certain expectations of what is appropriate."
Here is the dress code:
According to the Oxford prom dress code, females must wear evening gowns or cocktail dresses. The dresses cannot be made of transparent material, there cannot be slits more than four inches above the knee and there must be no revealing neck lines or back lines. The dresses can be sleeveless or strapless, provided all body parts from the shoulder to the knee are covered. Girls also can't wear two-piece dresses with the midriff showing or with removable material covering the cleavage area.
Males must wear tuxedos or suits. They cannot wear tennis shoes or oversized clothing.
Holladay said the school mails a copy of the school's prom dress code to parents a week before Christmas and then gives students another copy to take home in January. This is so parents and students are not confused about what is and isn't acceptable before they purchase dresses and tuxedos.
Recently, Patrick McCreless of the Anniston Star profiled a young woman, Erica Deramous (pictured above), who was disciplined this weekend for wearing the dress in the above photo. Erica's mother, Darrie Deramous, however, is convinced that her daughter's dress was just fine. She states, "They said her dress length was short and that it was too low up at the top." "But that's the way they are making them now."
Erica Deramous says she was not trying to make a statement, disobey school policy or flaunt herself. She just wanted to enjoy her senior prom. She was suspended all the same. "I feel it's stupid, because I got suspended for nothing," Deramous said.
Jerry Snow, a former assistant principal for three years at Oxford, said the code was enacted because there were problems with female students wearing dresses that were seemingly too low cut or exposed too much skin. If students are not sure if a dress conforms to the rules, "They have plenty of opportunity to bring pictures of the dress," he said.
"We want the prom to be a dignified affair," Snow said. "We want people to have pictures they would want to show to their grandparents or kids."
I will admit that Erica's dress looks like a burqa compared to some of the outfits I see girls in, but I respect a school system finally taking control over its student population and enforcing rules regarding how students present themselves. This type of rule forces students and parents to communicate and decide together on an outfit that not only makes them look purty but also makes them look like respectable young men and women.
We can argue all day as to whether Erica's dress was really inappropriate or how short it really was or if it really was too see-through. But that's not the point. It is up to communities to prepare children for the real world. In the real world, there are rules. You can't do whatever you want, whenever you want. The jails are full of those who ascribe to that philosophy. Structure and guidance are part of every institution children will face as they become adults, and they must learn to deal with that. They won't always agree with a rule. They won't always agree with a decision. Things are unfair. Tough luck. I face that every day. It's called, a J-O-B.
So kudos to Oxford High for refusing to allow its prom to look like a hustler's ball. In the end, Erica went to the damn prom anyway. and I'm sure she had a good time. As far as her suspension is concerned, maybe she could catch up on studying for finals. There are larger issues at play here, and the ends absolutely justify the means.
Okay, the paddling is a little bizarre, but, hey, it is the South.
Peace people....
Comments: (357)
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By: carla ford on 4/27/2010 10:57AM
While I do agree in the school taking action against provocative dressing @ proms, the corporal punishment is insane.
Possible suspension is reasonable, but paddling? I don't care what region of the country it's in hitting a student will not correct the behavior. If anything,it will make them angrier & teach them it's ok to assault & hit people when things go wrong or if they get angry.
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By: Thinker on 4/27/2010 12:48PM
You may not agree with paddling but they give the kids an option. I like the fact that they mailed the dress code in december to the parents and followed up sending a letter with kids in january. This allowed all parties to be aware of the dress code. Parents need to govern their children accordingly. Schools shouldn't have to tell your kids what is inappropiate.The prom should be just as he said a dignified affair.
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By: vcrozas on 4/27/2010 2:40PM
Hmm wonder where the parents were that let their kids out in "inappropriate" dress???? That's the way to do it...let kids get paddled and no accountability for what the PARENTS allowed their kids to where. Makes me wonder what principal-educators are thinking. They are failing in their teaching check test scores but punishing kids for their failures...laugable if it weren't so SAD!
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By: Munkie on 4/27/2010 2:41PM
Whereas I think most of the problems with America's youth comes from the fact that they weren't hit enough. What the hell, I was thwapped when I was bad. Before the 80s, it was downright commmon. And amazingly, the world didn't become a utopian paradise the second everyone stopped giving kids a natural punishment. In fact, look back to the greatest generation, and look at young adults now. 3/4ths of them still live with mom and dad, it's like someone sucked the drive out of them. 50 years ago they were all volunteering to fight the biggest war ever known. Now it's hard enough to get them to get a job and go to school.
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By: C. Tillman on 4/27/2010 2:51PM
I feel the school did the right thing! Both parents and students knew far in abvance the school policy and some of both parents and students decided to do what they wanted to do. I'm glad there was consequence for their actions.
It is sad we don't want our youth to become responsible positive adults and continue to help them down a path of destruction with negatives images and actions that will come back to hurt them in the future, if they have one.
It hurt me so bad when I see many of our young women seem to embrace the sleazy/trashy look like many movie stars and entertainers who are much older thn they are. You do not have to put you precious God given bodies on display like women on the street! There is a way to be beautiful, classy, sexy and elegant without looking sleazy and trashy
Parents that don't think it send out the wrong signals about their children must have something wrong with them also. Just because the fashion world make stuff like that is no reason to waste your money buying it. That dress is not appropiate for her age and shouldn't have been worn to a high school prom. I would love to send her parents a copy of Steve Harvey book "Act Like A Lady.. Think Like A Man. I have to add the only way you can do that is learn how to look like one because we usually see the image of a person before finding out about their character. I pray that all young women will take the time and read it for themselves no matter what part of the country they are located.
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By: tracy on 4/27/2010 3:05PM
my kids are just fine. better than MOST. because i did it MY way, your way of thing is why there are overcrouded prisons.
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By: MirandaWrites on 4/27/2010 3:10PM
I think that corporal punishment is the ONLY thing that keeps these little ho's in line. She should have her face slapped, too. As well as her mother should be smacked right in her fat face.
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By: RPowell on 4/27/2010 3:50PM
I feel the school was right in punishment, but the punishment didn't fit the crime. The students should have been sent home immediately and not allowed to return. Parents and students knew well in advance in WRITING what proper dress constituted and they CHOSE to ignore the policy. Having to leave the prom would have been the best punishment.
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By: Sara on 4/27/2010 3:50PM
I like the enforcement of the policy. I also like the choice in punishment. I don't think paddling is appropriate for a young woman in high school. There are other appropriate punishments. Suspension usually comes with a decrease of 1/3 letter grade for each day. I don't think a student should have to decide between a beating and their GPA because of the length of dress. It's not like body parts were exposed. I think that is a punishment in excess of the crime.
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By: mimi on 4/27/2010 4:06PM
Paddling a high school Junior/Senior??? This has GOT to be a private school, right?
I wish they'd have shown the young woman's entire dress, so we could actually form an opinion. What they did show, didn't shock me any, however how short it was may be a different story. As a tall woman myself, I know you will have more leg showing with everything else being equal. (NOTE to clothing manufacturers: start producing clothes for tall girls/women, so it doesn't appear we are wearing clothing that's too small!)
Anyway, this young woman looks very nice imho, and I wouldn't have expected her attire to cause a ruckus. I can't help wonder if she'd have added spaghetti-straps to the neckline, would that have filled the "covered" criteria? I mean how the heck do you allow "The dresses can be sleeveless or strapless, provided all body parts from the shoulder to the knee are covered"....do you have English/grammar/critical thinking classes at this school? In what universe can you both "cover all body parts from shoulder to knees" and still have a strapless dress on????
And what the heck is a "Pimp Cup"....gotta Google that one!
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