Will it be the last dance for OHS prom?

Posted: April 28, 2010

City of Oconomowoc — Student leaders at Oconomowoc High School are suggesting the random use of breathalyzers as a deterrent to students who consume alcohol prior to, or at, school dances.

The measure is one of several being weighed by both the school's student senate and presented to administration in an effort to keep school dances from being eliminated as a result of troublesome behavior at recent events.

In addition to the drinking, school officials are also insisting that inappropriate dancing called "grinding" be prohibited.

A TWIRP dance held in February, in which four students were sent home for drinking, was also marred by dancing that school officials believed crossed the line.

In 2009, that TWIRP dance also raised concerns which led to an addition to the school's handbook that students must sign at the beginning of each school year. It detailed a code of conduct for dancing to curtail the sexually suggestive dance style.

Following that event, the 2009 Prom went well, but this year the problem has again resurfaced.

One of the problems may be the TWIRP dance itself, student representatives have suggested.

"It's a different atmosphere. It's like homecoming is more of a traditional dance, more formal, and prom is juniors and seniors and a respected rite of passage," explained OHS senior and student senate representative Lynzie Miller.

"I feel like TWIRP is seen more as a party. It's just a different atmosphere and lends itself to be the most inappropriate, often," she added.

The school's upcoming May 15 Prom will still be held but could be the last dance if students don't comply with improved standards of behavior.

What would grandma say?

OHS Principal Joseph Moylan mentioned Prom as being the least problematic dance the school has.

That may be a result of the students being bused to the venue and restrictions that do not allow students to bring purses or backpacks on the bus.

In addition, the prom sites allow administrators more control over the lighting to keep an eye on student dancing behavior.

Moylan said he met with students following the TWIRP dance and expressed his frustration.

"I said, look, it's not OK. It is not acceptable. The questions I asked the kids were if you're at your cousin's wedding and your Grandma is sitting on the side of the dance floor, would you dance like that? I haven't found a kid who'll say yes. And if I videotape it and show it to your Mom and Dad would that be OK? I haven't found a kid who'll say yes," to that either he said.

"The type of dancing is widely acceptable. There are degrees of severity to how explicit it gets, but I would say it is almost every kid. I can't imagine that a kid hasn't done this type of dancing," he said.

Moylan said sending the offending dancers home from the event would not stop the dilemma.

"The problem is so widespread, we'd clear the dance," he said.

Principal optimistic

With the tradition of school dances in jeopardy, Moylan said, he is optimistic that students will rise to the challenge.

"I just said, as a school, as a community we cannot offer these types of opportunities to you anymore given the way you are using them. So, if you decide you want to keep them, here are the changes that have to made," he said.

"They have to insure to me that kids will not be drinking, before or during. I can't control after. I need to be guaranteed kids will be sober. They have to address their dancing, and it has to change. And they have to be able to assure me kids will be safe," while at the dance, he added.

To that end, the school's student governments are working on solutions and have presented a list of preliminary suggestions.

"They gave me a list of some ideas: breathalyzers at the door or having random breathalyzers. They are proposing it, not me," the principal said.

"Dances could be used as fundraisers not only for the school but for organizations or families in need, so they serve a purpose," he said.

Student input

Other student ideas included stricter guidelines on the types of music allowed and kids who get in trouble at one dance are barred from going to the next dance.

The principal and students, who have met twice on the issue, will come together to evaluate the proposal for viability and then communicate it once it's in final form.

"Ultimately, it is going to be them who fix the problem, not me. It's based on those three criteria: 1) kids are safe 2) the dancing changes and 3) kids are sober," he said.

The school's three big dances: homecoming, TWIRP and Prom are well-attended.

"It's good; I might even say it's exceptional," Moylan said.

"The notion about high school dances has digressed so far away from that it's now we're supposed to be offering a fun time and giving kids a memory. The fun time of it, I hope is a natural outgrowth of improving yourself, which is all we're built for. That's what schools do, is help kids to realize their potential as young adults moving out into the world and to help teach them how to do that successfully," he said.

"I don't' want to be in the position of having tragedy be what gets us to move on this. I would prefer that we begin the conversation far out in advance of that," he said.

Dancing etiquette

Miller said the dancing will be a harder issue than the drinking to change.

"It's common. You don't really 'not' see it," she said of the dancing.

"I feel like there is (pressure). When I talk with other kids, a lot of them deny it. They say if you feel uncomfortable you can leave but I feel like, when you get there and see everyone dancing like that, and that's the how most of the boys know how to dance, the pressure is still there, whether you admit it or not and it might not be to the benefit of most kids," Miller explained.

The issue of alcohol, she said, is easier for students to rally around.

"It's just irresponsible and inappropriate. We'll probably have breathalyzers at our next dance for people coming in the door, because that (drinking) just leads to more problems.

"I think that will be OK, actually. Most people, even if they do it, know in the back of their minds that it's wrong. I feel like the problem with the dancing is that people don't find it inappropriate. It's harder to make a change when people don't see it as a problem, but the drinking is an acknowledged issue, so that will make it easier to change that," she said.

Both Moylan and Miller are optimistic that the changes can be implemented to save the school dances from the chopping block.

"I think it might take a little time, but we can fix a lot of things," Miller said.

"When you put kids to work thinking about how to make things better, they're going to do it a 100 times better than I am anyway. I'm just saying this is the line in the sand' " Moylan said.