He can defend our country, but can't escort his girlfriend to her prom

[SSX]

This letter to the Sun Herald on the coast of Ms. shows where some people's heads are at.
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/editorial/letters/14322098.htm

"At the meeting of the Pearl River County School Board this month, we requested permission to allow my son, 21, to escort his girlfriend, 18, to her senior prom on May 13 at PRC High School.
With disappointment, we were notified that our request had been denied due to my son's age. We do not think that a three-year age difference should be an issue, especially since my son's girlfriend had already received approval by her own parents. Would the school board deny a freshman to be escorted by a senior to their school dance?"
The letter goes on to talk about the daughter's accomplishments in school and ends with these 2 graphs-
"But most importantly, being a proud mother of a United States Marine, I must express my dissatisfaction to the members of the PRC School Board. My husband and I attended this meeting, representing my son who was not able to attend. My son graduated from Hancock High School in 2003 and is a lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps, currently stationed in North Carolina."

"It is very sad to think that my son is defending the very right that he is being denied - the freedom of choice. He has taken an oath to defend our country and the Constitution of the United States and is not allowed to exercise his freedom of choice to escort his long-time girlfriend to her senior prom and her freedom of choice to ask her long-time boyfriend to be her escort."

Spare me the "well, it's Mississippi" references. This is just plain wrong, no matter where it happened.

[salin]

1. I don't remember having to get permission

from the school per prom dates. Odd, that.

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. We did at my school if the date did not currently attend our school

[NewJeffCT]

2. Isn't 18 years old legal?

I can see if she was 17 or 16... but, 18 allows her the right to vote, and you would think she would be able to go to the prom with whom she chose, be the person 21 or 31.

[Clark2008]

3. Why did they ask permission in the first place?

I'm not blaming the parents or anything, but I'm trying to figure out what caused them to think they needed to ask the school board for permission about dates to the prom.

[merbex]

4. Disgusting; one alternative could be to hold the prom after

graduation (a few days maybe) so that no longer would it be considered a school event. The students would have graduated from the school and consquently are not bound by school decisions.

[RC]

5. Where is the control in that?

School boards and school administration operate on control. Reality all to often takes a back seat.

[SoCalDem]

6. Our prom was closed to ALL who did not attend the school

and only juniors & seniors could attend each other's proms..

no freshmen, grads or sophomores allowed :)

[mistyeye]

7. we had girls bringing 30+ year old men to our proms, so the school

started a "no one over twenty-one" policy. No one would have minded 21 year old dates, but they really wanted to stop girls from bringing 30 year olds.

[converted_democrat]

8. I was dating a 25 year old when my Senior Prom rolled around, and I

didn't have any problem.. The *only* thing that happened was our principal would get up in anyones face that was over 21 to smell if they had been drinking before he would let them in, but that was it..

on edit- If the girl is 18, I don't really see how it is their business to tell her who she can or can't go with..

[SSX]

9. To add insult to injury

In trying to research any news articles regarding this matter, I came across this tidbit from the Stennis Space Center in Apr. 2000-
"Seven volunteers from the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command based at Stennis Space Center will be going back to school this Saturday. The Navy volunteers will be going to Pearl River Central Elementary School in McNeil to complete a project for the Navy that has been underway since Jan. 26 when the Navy through its Personal Excellence Partnership Program (PEP) donated nine computer systems to the school."

"On Saturday the seven volunteers will be putting in the necessary wiring that will enable the computers to access the Internet in around 25 classrooms. This wiring will make this school completely wired in that each class has a computer and the ability to access the Internet."

The elementary school is part of the same district which consists of an elementary, Jr. High and high school.
Aren't the Marines part of the Navy?
Thanks for the computers, but don't be dating any of our Southern Belles.

[ladjf]

11. Just tell he son to take his girl to the prom. No one will stop him.

The schools decision has probably already been reversed.

[Obamarama]

12. Pardon my cynicism, but who the hell really CARES?

There are real life or death issues facing this country that should be catapulting people into high dudgeon, and some spoiled little wench not being able to be escorted to her prom by her boyfriend should not be one of them.

The school has its rules, so follow them. END OF STORY. I am so sick and tired of self-righteous people pissing and moaning about insiginificant travesties to the point that they make it an issue that the media picks up. No wonder we're a country full of daft, dumb-downed sheeple.