Letter: prom situation

After reading Ms. Funk's erroneous article in last Tuesday's paper, it is clear that many are unaware of the Carson High School prom situation and the students' stand regarding the issue. The rule regarding who CHS seniors may take as guests to their prom was changed, making this year the first year that seniors may not bring students from outside of the school.

This coming May of 2000 will be the first prom that this rule will affect. Many CHS students, including myself, would like for this rule to be overturned.

I am a junior at CHS, and I have attended the past five school board meetings with other students in an attempt to have this limiting prom edict revoked. Spokespeople first brought the students' request to the principal, Mr. Adair, in November 1999. It was at this meeting that he directed the students to take the matter up with the school board. In November, students came before the board and requested to be put on the agenda. However, this issue was not put on the agenda at the following meeting, nor the next, nor the next, even though at each meeting many students came prepared. Therefore, the students utilized the open comments part of the meeting to address the board before being placed on the agenda for the Feb. 8 meeting.

This rule not only affects the seniors of this year, but it also affects every student in the future. It imposes limits on us as students and as young adults. Also, CHS allows and admits numerous outsiders to sport functions, yet the school has this rule to ban outside guests that seniors invite on an individual basis to attend prom. This incongruity seems to be quite the double standard.

However, we understand the school's concerns for the safety of its students. That is why we propose not to just abolish this rule. We propose to the school board that all guests to the prom remain under the age of 21. This was the age limit of the past years' rule, and it is still an important factor. We also suggest that each CHS student's parent must sign a waiver for their child's guest. These steps can help ensure the safety of the students at prom.

REBEKAH NEWMAN

Carson City