March 5, 2007 3:31 PM
Loudoun Valley High School: Dirty Dancing continues
What a bummer.
When we first moved to Loudoun County from California almost five years ago, my kids and I were shocked by the dancing at public school dances. We really expected more a little more diognity and self-respect in a place where standards are a little higher - as evidenced by the incredible school buildings and personnel (You'd have to have lived in California with its bloated bureaucracy and deteriorated infrastructure to understand how much you have to be thankful for in northern Virginia!)
I went through a pitched battle with the schools who chose to deny the problem even while working behind the scenes for a remedy.
The remedy was a contract for students to sign agreeing to certain standards of behavior at school dances and outlining consequences for breaking the rules. The inevitable parents-who-would-be-their-kids'-best-friends First Amendment huggers (freedom of speech = freedom to freak dance at a public school dance) kicked up a ruckus, but the contract stood.
Unfortunately, it appears that the contract has just become another lesson in hypocrisy as far as many kids are concerned. My daughter came home from the Winter Formal so disgusted by what she'd seen that she sat down and fired off a letter to the school principal pointing out that
*the dance should be a comfortable place
*low lights and rap music encourage freak dancing
*chaperones did not do their job - at all
*the National Honor Society sponsored the dance - which in its current form runs counter to their principles
*she wants to see the problem addressed before her siblings reach high school
We hadn't even had time to discuss the dance as she had spent the night at a friend's and I was at a music competition with Maddy when she came home and wrote and sent her letter to the principal. I was proud of her for taking the initiative without waiting to run it by me.
I'll keep you posted on how this is handled.
In the meantime, Loudoun County parents who want to know the history can read my book Dirty Dancing at the Prom and Other Challenges Your Christian Teens Face: How You Can Help. You can get it at Amazon or from our county library.
And please, if you care about what's going on in your kids' school, get your head out of the sand and get involved! Yes, these schools are fabulous, but when they get something wrong and need encouragement and help to fix it we've got to be there!
Right now, by having students sign a contract and then by not providing support for them to do their best to honor it (through choice of dj, music, lighting - and lack of enforcement of rules), we're only teaching kids to be hypocrites.
Posted in Loudoun County | Permalink
Comments
I bet, that if the kids at Loudoun Valley High School petitioned to dance how they wanted to, their votes would domonate those of who didnt approve. If those who have a problem with how some people "freak dance" then they shouldnt be near those who do. In this generation its just how young people dance. They're are so many rules in teenagers lives, now even how they dance. I think its ridiculous. Don't like what you see. Don't look. Don't like the music thats being played? Guess what. Majority of the school does. Either go and get over it and have a good time anyway or dont go at all.
OR have your own dance somewhere else that doesnt play that type of music, see how many people will show up.
I cant belive this. Your kid is going to encounter the world of sex, drugs, rock and roll sooner then you think. Seeing a little freak dancing isnt going hurt anybody. He/She may be grossed out but hey dont look at it turn away and dance your butt off. If they are having fun why cant you? Dance how you want dont mind those around you. Stick with your group and you will be fine.
Posted by: someone | March 25, 2007 8:49 PM
