High School Doing Away With Prom Because It’s Too Expensive
Yep, you read that right. One Massachusetts high school is scrapping prom because it’s too expensive and because of safety concerns. Next year’s Seniors at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School will not get to enjoy the tradition of Senior prom. Instead, they’ll have Senior Sail. A semi-formal event on a mocktail booze cruise around Boston Harbor. Normally I don’t write about this stuff, but since I’m an alumnus of Bridgewater-Raynham, I felt compelled to chime in.
It’s Not Too Expensive
I went to my senior prom at B-R 10 years ago, 10 freakin’ years ago! So my view may be outdated, but you mean to tell me that it’s too expensive to go to prom all of a sudden? Let me tell you a little about the town’s of Bridgewater and Raynham. They’re not impoverished towns. They actually are doing quite well financially. Bridgewater has a very successful University in town and an MBTA commuter rail station right next to Bridgewater State University. Raynham has route 44 that has every car dealership imaginable. Both towns are thriving still and are in the heart of the south shore of Massachusetts. And people are still flocking to move in to these two towns.
Safety Isn’t An Issue Either
Does it really make sense to put over 200 people on a boat in Boston Harbor? You think that’s safer? Really? Look, I get what the school is trying to do. They want to the kids to be safe and still have a good time, I get it. However; no matter what your view on prom is, everyone seems to love it. The school recently held a mock OUI with their Junior and Senior classes to show them the dangers of driving under the influence. It was a great idea and seemed to get the kids attention.
Eventually, you can’t baby the kids anymore. They’ll eventually grow up and go to college and make mistakes there I’m sure (I know I did.) Was prom all of a sudden a problem form years past? How is it safe this year but not next year?
Bring Back Prom
Let the kids decide what they want to do. Let them vote, and if they want the Senior Sail over Senior Prom than so be it. But don’t take it away from them all of a sudden because it’s too expensive. How much does the school help out financially for a prom anyways? It’s not like it hurts the schools budget, but who knows, maybe I’m wrong. As a 2008 alumni of B-R, I say let the kids decide what they want. They know the cost, they know the risks. Isn’t it part of a high school’s job to teach students to be responsible anyways?
–Brian Berard (@RockyBerard)