School rejects prom escort for teen as 'too old', brother back from Iraq

Brother just back from Iraq denied as prom date for teen

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - A Lincoln County high school student was told she could not be escorted to her prom by her brother because he is too old.

Jennifer Martin, a senior at East Lincoln High School was looking forward to being escorted by her brother, a specialist in the army, who was just back from Iraq.

"I loved it," said Martin as she recalled how she felt when her mom Dawn Winchester suggested she go with her older brother. "I got excited right off the bat."

But East Lincoln High administrators told Winchester 'no' because her brother is 23 years old. Lincoln County Schools will not allow anyone over the age of 20 to attend a school prom.

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"If we made an exception for this student, we would be crossing a line that would be very difficult to maintain in the future," Sain said to us off camera.

Sain also said anyone over 21 would have access to alcohol and was concerned about a 23-year-old being around teenage girls.

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12325797

finally had a talk with him at that point. :eyes:

:shrug: or what is the point? The rule makes sense in a certain kind of way.

The school could have handled this as an exception and made the brother agree in writing to any set of stipulations they felt necessary such as no drinking before or during the prom, no ferrying of other students before, during, or after the event, and maybe posting a cash bond to show that he's serious about those commitments.

Sisters are like chastity belts? Ha!

However, asking for a cash bond to prove that he's serious about agreeing to their terms is one way of improving the chances that the big brain will be in charge.

I side with the school here.

Let people go to them singly.

here will take up the cause?

And how many would not if the brother was a 23-year old who had been in prison serving a term for an anti-war protest?

Rules are rules.

Someone who is over 20 probably should not be going to a highschool dance anyway.

Proms are for teenagers.

at the prom?

If so, is there a minimum age for them ?

I can see a rule that everyone attending has to be either a student at that school, or under 18.

But school officials wouldn't have any say over the actions of an 18- or 19- year old who doesn't attend the school, either. So why let them attend, but not a 23-year old.

The alcohol excuse sounds logical on the surface, but I presume it's illegal to bring alcohol onto the school's property anyway.

I feel a lot of sympathy for the young woman. If we hadn't been able to bring college-student dates, I would have missed the prom in both my junior and senior years. In fact so would many of my friends; almost everyone who wasn't a member of one of the two high-prestige cliques.

Last minute, friend of mine who teaches at a local high school broke her ankle.

She calls me. I've been a teacher, know the principal, have the state trooper certifications that say I am not a child molester or a drunk, or a child-beater--that they know of.

I think that's why I was 'okay.' I had the paper.

What a crazy night that was....

proms????

If so much emphasis wasn't put on young girls/guys having to go to their prom (yes I went to my prom) we wouldn't have issues like this.

Why are they a rite of passage? They shouldn't be. Everyone who doesn't attend/get invited to their prom doesn't get to "passage" on to adulthood? BS.

For many they are because it's like the last harrah of being young and free. For me, it was the chance to be with friends who I had gone through high school with. We would all be going our separate ways and we wanted our time together to last as long as possible and to have as much fun as possible. It's a lot of things for different people. A rite of passage being one of them.

I can't speak to those who didn't get to attend their prom. My daugher didn't get asked to her prom. Her and four friends got together, rented a limo, and went. They didn't need to be asked. It was her prom and the lack of a date wasn't going to stop her. She'll tell you she had the time of her life.

If someone feels this way about their prom...I don't fault them for it...nor should you.

I don't care whether a person goes to their prom or not. My niece did not go because no one asked her, and many schools don't allow for stag attendance. It is wonderful that your daughter was allowed to do so. We need to put this in perspective. Prom is a dance, not a rite of passage. A dance, that too many have put too much emphasis on.

:shrug:

Too freaking serious about a dance.

that was all. If it's just a dance to you...why should you care that high school kids take it more seriously? :shrug:

about his same age? Wouldn't the same excuses given for not allowing him to go apply to them?

If proms were more of a community event, then this kind of weeding out might not be necessary.

not as peers freaking with the kids on the dance floor.

:shrug:

I don't think we need adults mixing as peers with teens in a deliberately romantic environment at school-sponsored functions.

Having been a teen once myself, I can see how easily the "but he's my sibling" exemption could be manipulated once door was cracked open.

The arbitrary age of 20 is because you can LEGALLY buy alcohol at 21. That is a dumb reason for the age cutoff. 15 year olds can get alcohol if they want it. From their parents liquor of the parents of a friend cabinet, if nowhere else.
That is the problem with absolute rules. You can't make exceptions when they are justified.

:shrug:

Much less one with his SISTER?? I had to be dragged to mine as an 18-year-old senior...

The school system did him a favor...Would the boys from the base EVER let him live that one down??

and only seniors could attend the senior prom..juniors only at the junior prom..

People who were dating "out of their class" either went stag, went with a platonic date , or they did not attend..

It was okay, and no one had any real problems with it.. but then we had our prom in the high school gym..sophomores did the decorating for the junior prom & juniors decorated for the senior prom.

There were no limos, helicopters or fancy banquets.. Just a few hours of prom, and then off to the after-parties:evilgrin: