Banning single girls from the prom?! Have you not SEEN 'Pretty in Pink'?

Joy Fri, May 30, 2008 at 10:44 AM EST

I went with my best friend (another girl) and had a GREAT time at my prom. This is absolutely ridiculous and I would be very interested to know his reasoning.

Adam Mon, May 19, 2008 at 01:52 PM EST

go figure, it's a parochial school.

To To Leslie Mon, May 19, 2008 at 12:25 PM EST

Way to throw out a Clueless reference!

This rule is way stupid. I went solo to every school dance b/c the boys at my school were lame and shallow and I had a blast dancing it up with my other single friends. The principal should be banned from the school!

anonymous Mon, May 19, 2008 at 10:39 AM EST

I fail to understand how people that stupid get into positions of authority. While I run the risk of schadenfreude, I still hope this blows up in her face.

Jen Mon, May 19, 2008 at 09:37 AM EST

Teaching teenage girls that their only valid status is as part of a couple is just cruel. I know so many women who think this way and just end up in one bad relationship after another because they don't feel it's acceptable to be "alone" and the wrong guy is better than no one. Yes, I know it's only prom and it's silly and doesn't mean anything, but I just can't comprehend the reasoning behind this.

Babs Mon, May 19, 2008 at 09:14 AM EST

See, I don't get the thinking here. A "no singles" rule would seem to come from the same people who also want to discourage teen sex. So the message "You're only allowed to have a social life with members of the opposite sex" seems rather illogical.

Melissa Mon, May 19, 2008 at 08:31 AM EST

I don't think there was an actual rule stating that you couldn't go without a date, but not many did. Beautiful highlight of my prom - I took another girl. I was openly a swinger throughout high school, so everyone thought it was hilariously awesome when I showed up with my date.

Single girls, take heed! Go with your gal pals! You'll have waaaay more fun and won't have to wonder whether you should kiss them goodnight.

aleksa Sun, May 18, 2008 at 04:36 PM EST

My high school had the same rules (and, as a matter of fact, I did NOT get to go because of it). I didn't realize that this is an uncommon rule.

To Leslie Sat, May 17, 2008 at 03:03 PM EST

I'm pretty sure the title of the article is (correctly) emphasizing the fact that Molly Ringwald went stag to her prom in P.I.P. As in "How could they ban single girls from prom today when Molly Ringwald obviously had such a cool time going single in this iconic movie." Sorry to spell it out so awkwardly, but you were way harsh, Tai.

Leslie Sat, May 17, 2008 at 01:21 PM EST

Ummm, somebody does not know their movie trivia. It was "Carrie" that banned single people from attending the prom. In "Pretty in Pink", Molly Ringwald actually went to the prom alone and ran into Duckie outside the ballroom but he was not her date and they did not make plans to go the prom together. He did escort her inside the ballroom but he was not her date. Does no one pay attention to movies before they write articles referencing them!? Who was the idiot who wrote this article?! You think the editor or somebody would have caught these mistakes. How come no one has yet to do so besides me?

Sat, May 17, 2008 at 01:20 PM EST

Ummm, somebody does not know their movie trivia. It was "Carrie" that banned single people from attending the prom. In "Pretty in Pink", Molly Ringwald actually went to the prom alone and ran into Duckie outside the ballroom but he was not her date and they did not make plans to go the prom together. He did escort her inside the ballroom but he was not her date. Does no one pay attention to movies before they write articles referencing them!? Who was the idiot who wrote this article?! You think the editor or somebody would have caught these mistakes. How come no one has yet to do so besides me?

elena Sat, May 17, 2008 at 11:06 AM EST

Absurd! What, are they going to ban everything fun about prom now, like chocolate fountains and food to be mocked and not eaten? And crappy DJs? What would prom be without your best girl (or guy?) friends? Dates can be stuffy and boring. Friends are always fun.
I love how PIP is the classic prom movie!

StaleCake Sat, May 17, 2008 at 08:53 AM EST

Option a) The single girls all go WITH EACH OTHER.
Option b) The girls all go with the most flamboyant boys from the neartest performing arts academy
Option C) (my favorite): The girls all arrive with really age-inappropriate, really hot, Chippendales Dancers.
Whichever way... INVITE THE MEDIA.

Andrea Sat, May 17, 2008 at 05:32 AM EST

How will these girls learn that they can have fun by themselves? Dates can be so annoying! It's nice to go out alone, just sit and watch what's going on. Men have done it for ages, and the only reason it might be creepy for some girls is because they were raised in such repressive environments.

VH Fri, May 16, 2008 at 07:46 PM EST

Two weeks ago I went to my prom alone and I go to an all girls school, and I find this idea absurd. That is one of the dumbest rules I have ever heard, and I've heard a lot of them.

sam Fri, May 16, 2008 at 06:49 PM EST

Is this person who banned single girls living in the 50's? One would have to question the judgment of an educator who would make such a decision.

Bethann Fri, May 16, 2008 at 06:49 PM EST

My school had a winter formal and not a prom and the rules were that only couples from the 10th, 11th and 12th grades were allowed. My sophomore year, the principal changed the rules so that freshmen AND solo people were allowed and the majority of the students were livid. No one took part in the new rules until after I left and now hardly anyone goes with a date. Rules like that are so ridiculous, but people see them as traditional...

Jeanne Fri, May 16, 2008 at 06:10 PM EST

This is absurd. I skipped my prom, but it was really common at my school for people to go in groups without official dates. It wasn't my thing but people should be able to go if they want. Making them get dates is just a recipe for low self-esteem, as if teenage girls need any more of that.

duh Fri, May 16, 2008 at 05:18 PM EST

This is really bad judgement. The students should have been up in arms and boycotted the prom. The only reason I can come up with for this is the principal doesn't want any altercations arising from prom dates dancing with other girls, thereby causing possible cat fights. Who knows? But it's still stupid.

Duckie Fan Fri, May 16, 2008 at 05:13 PM EST

My all-girl Catholic school encouraged girls to come on their own if they didn't have a date. I skipped prom anyhow. And can I just add that Andie should have chosen Duckie, a man of integrity?

hmmm Fri, May 16, 2008 at 04:53 PM EST

I wonder if the principal took into consideration the possibility of these young girls going with some Joe-schmoe guy they don't know and exposing themselves to potential harm. A little harsh, yes, but I just read an article about 3 underage girls found unconcious, laced with a date rape drug, that had been sexually abused. Way to protect the safety of your students!! >:-(

Colleen Fri, May 16, 2008 at 04:47 PM EST

I went to an all-girls school and the whole selling point is the premise that young women can become strong and independent in a single-sex environment. This date policy is a stellar way to build girls up and then knock them down again. Bring on the eating disorders, low self-esteems and inferiority complexes!

Lynny Fri, May 16, 2008 at 04:31 PM EST

That's awful. Any student who wants to go, should get to go. Why do they have to pair off. I went with a group of friends, girls and guys, and we had so much fun because we weren't trying to impress anyone or thinking about any "romantic" stuff. If I was a parent I would be having a field day with this issue.

Winona Fri, May 16, 2008 at 04:06 PM EST

My (somewhat backwards, southern Illinois) high school only allowed male-female couples to attend. But this was back in the early 1990s. Looking back, that's just silly!

Raven_Moon Fri, May 16, 2008 at 04:05 PM EST

That's pretty messed up. Personally, I skipped my prom, but anyone who wants to go should get to, whether they have a date or not.

Silv Fri, May 16, 2008 at 03:54 PM EST

My daughter's school allowed girls to go in pairs - allowing those who had college boyfriends who couldn't/didn't want to go still attend with their girlfriends and make a night of it. Those girls said they were glad they went with each other and had a great time together w/none of the drama - and had a great sleepover party afterwards too. This principal is doing girls a great disservice.

Kimberly Fri, May 16, 2008 at 02:59 PM EST

I went to a Catholic high school and you were not allowed to go the prom without a date. A date of the opposite sex, mind you.
A lot of my girlfriends, me included, who didn't have a significant boyfriend, ended up going with any guy just to get in the door. Then we were obligated to spend the night hanging out with said date - a date we didn't really want to go with in the first place. It was so stressful.
My friends and I would have had so much more fun going in a big group. It was so stupid and ridiculous. This principal is an idiot.

Anjeliki Fri, May 16, 2008 at 02:21 PM EST

And here I was freaking out that my daughter's school gives discounts to "couples" (two-gender couples only) but makes singles pay full price.

I attended three proms. One with a female friend, one by myself and one with a boyfriend, and I have to tell you, the one that was the most fun was the one with my female friend.

Administrators need to think about who the event is actually for before they make rules like this.

Nose Fri, May 16, 2008 at 02:10 PM EST

I took a guy I barely knew to my prom, and we both had a horrible time. It costs a lot to buy tickets and things for proms, and to waste that kind of money on someone is a lot to ask of these poor girls.

Snarf Fri, May 16, 2008 at 01:54 PM EST

Lame. One has to wonder what the reasoning is behind the decision (bet whatever it is most would have a real problem with it which is why no ones talking - yet)

Patty Fri, May 16, 2008 at 01:53 PM EST

Look at that picture of Jon Cryer - he used to have so much hair!

Meredith Fri, May 16, 2008 at 01:46 PM EST

I skipped my prom altogether because it wasn't socially acceptable to go without a date. A dateless friend and I had a girls' night out instead. Good times.

Al Fri, May 16, 2008 at 01:25 PM EST

I'll bet that the rule is not that you have to have a date- but a MALE date. Don't you think an all girls Catholic School would make sure to specify a male date? This is awful. I didn't go to my prom because it wasn't socially acceptable to go without a date at the time and I stupidly broke up with my boyfriend beforehand. Now groups of people go without a date. I feel that's a much better way to go- let's not even get into the things that could happen between boys and girls after prom!

Catherine Fri, May 16, 2008 at 01:24 PM EST

I can't believe it! I went alone to my prom and it was great while some other girls, pushed by their other friends or their parents or whoever, went with a "date" and ended up having a bad time looking after a guy they barely know...

idigress Fri, May 16, 2008 at 01:22 PM EST

I graduated from an all-girls high school and this was the rule at my school as well. My boyfriend was in college and did not want to go to prom - but when I was nominated for Queen (did not win - which is good because it would have ruined my nerd status) I made him take me!

It was silly then - I think that it is silly now!

wh Fri, May 16, 2008 at 01:12 PM EST

Great values they're teaching those gilrs. Screw independence. It's hard enough to find a guy in a coed school. I agree that the girls should double up and bring each other as dates. Time for the parents to step in and teach the principal how to behave.

Fri, May 16, 2008 at 01:06 PM EST

This is why I whisper that I grew up in Staten Island or avoid admitting it at all costs. Nice message to send girls you're trying to make independent. AND I went to an All Girls Catholic School there.

Laura L. Fri, May 16, 2008 at 01:05 PM EST

All my friends went to prom without a date and we had tons of fun.

Fri, May 16, 2008 at 01:00 PM EST

Sounds like all the girls should couple up and go. I betcha the principal would just LOVE that, too!

Andie Fri, May 16, 2008 at 12:57 PM EST

That's ludicrous. I went to an all girls school and at least half of my class went to Jr. prom without a date. When you go to a single-sex school, the prom is for you, the students of that school.