I think school dances are outdated. Back in "the olden days" you went to a dance to get away from home and hang out with friends. Kids don't need that anymore; heck, what with their electronic connectivity they don't even need drivers licenses anymore. In my day we got our drivers licenses as soon as we could, today kids don't seem in much of a hurry to get them (unless they have their own cars). Dances just don't serve the social function that they used to, kids don't need to get away from home to see each other because they can do so on their phones.
In our hypersexualized world, though, dances provide an opportunity for students to hump each other in public and to show off their pelvic thrusts. Why does that bother me? For a couple reasons: first, I don't know that anything good comes from supporting teenagers who act that way, and second, a little discretion is a social grace. Do you want to hear about the wild animal sex I had last night? Shall I post about it, here, in graphic detail? Of course not, no one wants to hear about that. Then why would I want to see it, especially in children?
Today I heard an interesting reason for still having school dances--how else will we raise money? Well, why do we need to raise money? To have a nice junior prom, a nice senior ball, and a graduation downtown at Memorial Auditorium instead of with folding chairs out on the soccer field. Well, stop holding
You can call me old fashioned, but by trying to find something that fits into today's world I'm the very definition of progressive :-)
Absolutely 100% agree.
ReplyDeleteOkay, preacher from "Footloose"... I'm guessing you also want them to stay off your lawn. ;) I don't want to see the overt sexual behavior either... but that's why I never once singed up to chaperone a dance. NIDs? all volleyball, basketball and football games ... I guess my question to you is? If you know it's going to happen and dislike it, why do you sign up to chaperone? Maybe dances aren't needed .. . but if they are at least wanted, or they wouldn't be financially feasible. Lewd behavior on school grounds should be disciplined as inappropriate ... and I would absolutely not want to be the arbiter... but school dances are a tradition.
ReplyDeleteI call BS on tradition. As my grandmother's grandmother used to say, "You've got to change with the times." If it no longer serves a useful purpose and is, in fact, counterproductive, the "tradition" excuse falls well short of a justification.
ReplyDeleteThat's true. It isn't a justification. How about, it provides a safe environment for kids to have fun on a Friday night? Personally ... I don't really care. I hate to dance, I went o one in HS and had a horrible time ...but it's part of the HS experience. You could make just the same argument about football games. They aren't needed, and people get hurt.
ReplyDeletei learned freshmen year that there's nothing more awkward and uncomfortable than making eye contact with a teacher while some dude who you barely know who asked you to a dance is feeling you up.
ReplyDeletesome learn, some don't. i definitely avoided the grindfest part of dances for the next four years, and i might have even learned a little self respect. standing on the outside watching these girls so desperate for attention or so desperate to fit in they were willing to sacrifice their own comfort and values was kind of heartbreaking but at the same time, it just showed me that i didn't need anyone else's approval to feel comfortable. i hope these girls learn soon- or else they will be the poor drunk freshmen girls dancing on tables at frat parties who end up on the news. learn fast ladies.
Good for you! It takes some maturity to come to the realizations that you did.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand proms (either Junior or Senior.) Kids spend lots of $$ on fancy clothes which don't really match the music for the "dancing."
ReplyDeleteAnd what is the reason/attraction for this ritual which has outstayed its time for over 30 - 40 years? Why is there a grindfest attached to the wearing of formal clothes?
One of our son's friends decided to throw an anti-prom party. Far from being a sad affair attended by a handful of losers, by the end of the evening of the prom it had grown to the point where the mother of the boy who threw it had to make a substantial grocery store run to feed the horde. The kids played board games and video games.There was a good mix of boys and girls, some of whom had started at the prom, but then defected. And there was no lewd or lascivious behavior. It was refreshing, really!
ReplyDeleteI've been asked several times to chaperone Homecoming, Prom and other social events. The first question I ask the person placing the request is what my upper limit is for writing up students for actions against the Student Code? With a smart phone I would be assured of undisputed evidence of bad behavior and what is more I could even offer to post it on the school twitter feed. Not that I would, but how many questionable photos from dances have I seen passed around on phones? Of course maybe if they would get something other than club music with all its rapey lyrics this wouldn't be a problem.
ReplyDelete