well this is complete bullshit

[mainemike]

i'm rarely angered by social issues, but this really gets my goat
Prom Dress Rules: High Schools Ban Sexy Gowns | Fashion - Yahoo! Shine

[caleb]

During my close examination of the slide show, I failed to see the problem.



(One day I might have a daughter and my perspective might change, though.)

Prom is no fun these days: Oakdale porn-star prom date formally disallowed | StarTribune.com

[zetroc]

Remember, America was founded by Puritans. They're going to haunt us for centuries.

[chasea]

I have a problem using the word "sexy" as an adjective to describe anything for kids. I had a friend who worked for a toy company; specifically the Bratz line of toys. They phrase they used around the office was Prosti-tots.

[caleb]

I have a problem using the word "sexy" as an adjective to describe anything for kids. I had a friend who worked for a toy company; specifically the Bratz line of toys. They phrase they used around the office was Prosti-tots.

Modeling prom dresses on 25 year old women does have a way of blurring the line between fun drugs and sketchy drugs.

[spopepro]

So, um, I've kicked two kids out of prom for having sex on the dance floor. Seriously.

The reason for these rules are because teachers and administrators are spooked. The reasonable solution saying "keep it classy" and having the AP/Dean at the door and turning away those who aren't. However, when the spectre of lawsuit and other complain comes when parents get angry and protest about their $2000 investment in their kids night that you just ruined, the school gets gunshy about enforcing any sort of codes that aren't crystal clear, and when you sit around and codify this stuff in a staff meeting the most conservative rules get passed. Because seriously, who's going to raise their hand and say "Actually, I think 16yr old cleavage is cool."

Same thing with some of the "dancing" that happens. Borderline behavior isn't stopped because teachers/admin are afraid of the blowback for things that aren't clearly over the line, and then the line keeps getting pushed, kids have sex on the dancefloor, it hits the press, and then the next year out comes a rule that there needs to be a 6" gap between all partner dancing at all times.

Fortunately, the incident I was involved with didn't make it out to the public. I found the kids on campus the next week and completely, thouroughly, chewed them out for doing something as wreckless and irresponsible as...

...having unproteted sex. Note: the high school I was teaching at had a condom club. YMMV.

[nahtnoj]

So, um, I've kicked two kids out of prom for having sex on the dance floor. Seriously.

The reason for these rules are because teachers and administrators are spooked. The reasonable solution saying "keep it classy" and having the AP/Dean at the door and turning away those who aren't. However, when the spectre of lawsuit and other complain comes when parents get angry and protest about their $2000 investment in their kids night that you just ruined, the school gets gunshy about enforcing any sort of codes that aren't crystal clear, and when you sit around and codify this stuff in a staff meeting the most conservative rules get passed. Because seriously, who's going to raise their hand and say "Actually, I think 16yr old cleavage is cool."

Same thing with some of the "dancing" that happens. Borderline behavior isn't stopped because teachers/admin are afraid of the blowback for things that aren't clearly over the line, and then the line keeps getting pushed, kids have sex on the dancefloor, it hits the press, and then the next year out comes a rule that there needs to be a 6" gap between all partner dancing at all times.

Fortunately, the incident I was involved with didn't make it out to the public. I found the kids on campus the next week and completely, thouroughly, chewed them out for doing something as wreckless and irresponsible as...

...having unproteted sex. Note: the high school I was teaching at had a condom club. YMMV.

Jesus Christ.

[chasea]

So, um, I've kicked two kids out of prom for having sex on the dance floor. Seriously.

The reason for these rules are because teachers and administrators are spooked. The reasonable solution saying "keep it classy" and having the AP/Dean at the door and turning away those who aren't. However, when the spectre of lawsuit and other complain comes when parents get angry and protest about their $2000 investment in their kids night that you just ruined, the school gets gunshy about enforcing any sort of codes that aren't crystal clear, and when you sit around and codify this stuff in a staff meeting the most conservative rules get passed. Because seriously, who's going to raise their hand and say "Actually, I think 16yr old cleavage is cool."

Same thing with some of the "dancing" that happens. Borderline behavior isn't stopped because teachers/admin are afraid of the blowback for things that aren't clearly over the line, and then the line keeps getting pushed, kids have sex on the dancefloor, it hits the press, and then the next year out comes a rule that there needs to be a 6" gap between all partner dancing at all times.

Fortunately, the incident I was involved with didn't make it out to the public. I found the kids on campus the next week and completely, thouroughly, chewed them out for doing something as wreckless and irresponsible as...

...having unproteted sex. Note: the high school I was teaching at had a condom club. YMMV.

Guess I'll be revisitng the vasectomy thread.

[vertical_doug]

The reason for these rules are because teachers and administrators are spooked. The reasonable solution saying "keep it classy" and having the AP/Dean at the door and turning away those who aren't. However, when the spectre of lawsuit and other complain comes when parents get angry and protest about their $2000 investment in their kids night that you just ruined, the school gets gunshy about enforcing any sort of codes that aren't crystal clear, and when you sit around and codify this stuff in a staff meeting the most conservative rules get passed.
.

We should go for a ride sometime and swap stories. The progression of bad behavior from year to year in school is pretty amazing.

The big change is parents attitudes. It is no longer about disciplining the child for bad behavior, it is about helicoptering in and making sure nothing stays on little Johnny's or little Suzy's record that hurts their chance to get into a good college.

p.s. Let's not forget, 9th grade seems like a good time to try rehab for the first time.

[j44ke]

This:

Administrators at the school have put together a twelve-page power-point presentation with close-cropped images to show students exactly what the rules are. "Words don't mean much to them," says Lee. Other schools are using posters and illustrated handouts.

That would make me irate. Aren't words a fairly important part of school?

edit: My sister said it was hard to find a prom dress for her daughter that actually covered the veejayjay. Other parents didn't seem so concerned. Not that there is anything wrong with it, I suppose. Mother and daughter can carpool to work after graduation.

[e-RICHIE]

This:



That would make me irate. Aren't words a fairly important part of school?

I caught that sentence too atmo. Sad, that his communique contained that. Self-editing a must.

[j44ke]

There's an article in the NYTimes about the increased frequency of girls who go through puberty before age 10.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/ma...l.html?_r=1&hp

Sort of freaky. Makes one wonder what is going on generally.

[Mabouya]

There's an article in the NYTimes about the increased frequency of girls who go through puberty before age 10.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/ma...l.html?_r=1&hp

Sort of freaky. Makes one wonder what is going on generally.

And in a related story, they think they've found at least one of the causes of honeybee colony collapse disorder. Wait for it............a common family of insecticides.

Then there's the story of increased incidence of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in kids.

Just because the majority of the man-made chemicals out there don't cause humans or guinea-pigs to either die on contact, or immediately break out in hives, doesn't mean that they aren't, either alone or in some complex combination, causing subtle changes that will mess up the body. I have no idea if any of these three issue are in any way connected to environmental factors, but it sure makes you wonder.

Also, and I feel like a misanthrope saying this, but given how the badly world has been effed up due to human actions, it only seems fair that they too should be negatively affected by their own actions.

[WadePatton]

There's an article in the NYTimes about the increased frequency of girls who go through puberty before age 10...Sort of freaky. Makes one wonder what is going on generally.

some say it's the whoremones used in the meat industry. profit enhancing drugs yo.

[davids]

Our American culture has some pretty fucked-up ways of "teaching" about and dealing with sexuality. Having raised a kid, I've got stories.

Since we're sharing NYTimes articles, here's one about an ambitious undertaking: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/ma...-good-sex.html. I think it's pretty cool. It reminds me of when my wife taught our 4-year-old about sex - "We don't wait for her to ask about the moon before we explain what it is!"

[72gmc]

The words reference belies the same sort of contempt the teacher probably gets from some kids. Teaching high school must be tough but it reads as though she doesn't like her job.

Regarding the dresses, I have a 12-year-old daughter. I hope she has enough self confidence not to want a dress like that.

[pruckelshaus]

I am a high school teacher and have seen far more prom dresses that boggle the mind than I care to remember. I'm not a Puritan by any stretch, but if a young lady is concerned about her boobs falling out because of her dress, she should be wearing a different dress.

I'm a heterosexual 45 year old male (and a father to two daughters), and there really are things on teenage girls that I just don't want to see.

Pete

[Matthew J]

While the clothing leaves less to the imagination, I'm not certain the mores have changed all that much - least ways not since the 1980s. At my suburban Chicago catholic high school the convention was to have your first complete sexual encounter junior prom night.

Oblivious, I failed to understand my date's chagrin on suggesting I take her straight home when the music stopped. (She mocked me about this at the 25th reunion a few years back)

[Bruce Day]

The girls are often much more forward than the boys, witness the prom porno dresses. I was home one night when my 13 year old athlete/popular son at the top school in town got a call from a 14 year old girl telling him she would give him a blow job if he went out with her.

By the way, he just biked 100 miles on the Potomac river road trail and is running the Marine Corps Marathon. Twenty five now and in DC, former Congressional aide and working for a public policy firm. The oldest is also in DC with the State Dept and bikes to work. The middle one is still here and bikes and is a tri-athlete. Yes, I'm proud of them.