| Posted: Thursday, April 26, 2012 12:20 am | (14) Comments
PROVO -- A revealing shoulder on Savanna
Morey's prom dress brought more than attention from her date at the
prom at Provo High last week. School chaperons also took notice and then
took action.
According to Provo High Principal Jeff Schoonover, Morey was asked to cover up with either her date's jacket or other wrap or she would have to go home and change.
"We had a great night," Schoonover said. "Darn it, it was just one small issue."
Morey is a student at Lehi High School in the Alpine School District, and her date attends Independence High School in Provo. Independence doesn't hold prom, so the students are invited to join Provo's.
The Daily Herald contacted Morey and her mother, Deborah, who declined comment. They initially contacted ABC4 in Salt Lake about the issue.
Assistant principal Lani Quisenberry attended the prom. She says she always has sweaters and shawls in her car in case a girl needs to a cover up.
"I was there and they participated fully in the dance," she said. They were there until around 10 p.m. when the promenade began. The dance ended at 11 p.m.
Part of the evening is the traditional Grand Promenade, which is a special march where couples are presented to others in the hall. According to Greg Hudnall, district spokesman, "they were there most of the prom and were the last couple in the promenade."
"The schools have a dress code and as a district we support it," Hudnall said. "If the dress standards are in violation the school has the right to say wear the coat or go home."
"There has to be some guideline," Quisenberry added. "I just wanted the kids to have fun."
Schoonover said the school goes to great lengths to make sure students understand the dress code policy. "We even had an assembly before the dance showing different dresses and what was appropriate and what was not. We asked our students to let dates know what is appropriate," he said. "I think we did a great job of how we handled it."
In this unusual situation neither Morey or her date attended the assembly or had a Provo High School handbook. The general female dress policy for all events as described on the website includes, "clothing must be modest. Bare midriffs, tank tops, short shorts & minis, etc. are not proper for school." The school's policy for the prom was no strapless dresses, spaghetti straps, high hem lengths or plunging necklines, and the straps on dresses had to be three fingers wide, according to Quisenberry.
Other schools also have policies related to prom dresses. Lehi High School, Savanna's school, has a set dress code policy for dances. According to Alpine spokeswoman Rhonda Bromley, the Lehi policy does not allow strapless, backless, halter tops, plunging neck lines or spaghetti strap dresses. Straps must be at least 3 inches in width. Dresses have to hit the top of the knee and undergarments cannot be visible.
Schools can add to that. Bromley said Lone Peak High requires girls to wear prom dresses with sleeves, as does Orem High; principal Michael Browning said sleeves of some sort are required on girls' dresses or jackets or sweaters worn over strapless dresses. This will be Browning's first prom at Orem, but as an administrator at Timpanogos High, whose prom is this weekend, he said the decision on what the dress code policy is came from the PTA and community council.
"The school community council looked at community standards. Our community voices come from the PTA and community council," he said. "I had to face both sides of the issue. Some parents were appalled letting some dresses in and some parents had no issue with dresses being not with code."
This is not about the predominant religion's teachings on modesty, he said.
"It is not a religious issue, it's a community issue," he said.
Nebo School District's Director of Secondary Education John DeGraffenried said, "Nebo has a dress code policy for all events. Schools have the discretion as far as prom. There are no bare shoulders."
While Morey and her date spent the majority of their time at the dance, Provo High has agreed to reimburse the $20 cost of the dance.
Copyright 2012 Daily Herald. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.According to Provo High Principal Jeff Schoonover, Morey was asked to cover up with either her date's jacket or other wrap or she would have to go home and change.
"We had a great night," Schoonover said. "Darn it, it was just one small issue."
Morey is a student at Lehi High School in the Alpine School District, and her date attends Independence High School in Provo. Independence doesn't hold prom, so the students are invited to join Provo's.
The Daily Herald contacted Morey and her mother, Deborah, who declined comment. They initially contacted ABC4 in Salt Lake about the issue.
Assistant principal Lani Quisenberry attended the prom. She says she always has sweaters and shawls in her car in case a girl needs to a cover up.
"I was there and they participated fully in the dance," she said. They were there until around 10 p.m. when the promenade began. The dance ended at 11 p.m.
Part of the evening is the traditional Grand Promenade, which is a special march where couples are presented to others in the hall. According to Greg Hudnall, district spokesman, "they were there most of the prom and were the last couple in the promenade."
"The schools have a dress code and as a district we support it," Hudnall said. "If the dress standards are in violation the school has the right to say wear the coat or go home."
"There has to be some guideline," Quisenberry added. "I just wanted the kids to have fun."
Schoonover said the school goes to great lengths to make sure students understand the dress code policy. "We even had an assembly before the dance showing different dresses and what was appropriate and what was not. We asked our students to let dates know what is appropriate," he said. "I think we did a great job of how we handled it."
In this unusual situation neither Morey or her date attended the assembly or had a Provo High School handbook. The general female dress policy for all events as described on the website includes, "clothing must be modest. Bare midriffs, tank tops, short shorts & minis, etc. are not proper for school." The school's policy for the prom was no strapless dresses, spaghetti straps, high hem lengths or plunging necklines, and the straps on dresses had to be three fingers wide, according to Quisenberry.
Other schools also have policies related to prom dresses. Lehi High School, Savanna's school, has a set dress code policy for dances. According to Alpine spokeswoman Rhonda Bromley, the Lehi policy does not allow strapless, backless, halter tops, plunging neck lines or spaghetti strap dresses. Straps must be at least 3 inches in width. Dresses have to hit the top of the knee and undergarments cannot be visible.
Schools can add to that. Bromley said Lone Peak High requires girls to wear prom dresses with sleeves, as does Orem High; principal Michael Browning said sleeves of some sort are required on girls' dresses or jackets or sweaters worn over strapless dresses. This will be Browning's first prom at Orem, but as an administrator at Timpanogos High, whose prom is this weekend, he said the decision on what the dress code policy is came from the PTA and community council.
"The school community council looked at community standards. Our community voices come from the PTA and community council," he said. "I had to face both sides of the issue. Some parents were appalled letting some dresses in and some parents had no issue with dresses being not with code."
This is not about the predominant religion's teachings on modesty, he said.
"It is not a religious issue, it's a community issue," he said.
Nebo School District's Director of Secondary Education John DeGraffenried said, "Nebo has a dress code policy for all events. Schools have the discretion as far as prom. There are no bare shoulders."
While Morey and her date spent the majority of their time at the dance, Provo High has agreed to reimburse the $20 cost of the dance.
Posted in
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Genelle-pugmire
on
Thursday, April 26, 2012 12:20 am
Updated: 10:59 am.
| Tags:
Provo,
Provo High School,
Provo School Disrict,
Prom Dresses,
Jeff Schoonover,
Lana Quisenberry,
Rhonda Bromley,
