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The prom is the culmination of a student’s journey through high school.
Gone are the days, however, where the prom was just a dance held in the school gym which had been decorated to
express a theme. The modern prom has expanded to include limousines,
off-site locations and club-hopping in New York City. Many school
districts are experiencing tremendous problems in trying to control and
limit the excesses that have become part of this “coming-of-age” event.
Parents and school administrators can do a number of things to address common prom night problems. Making parents and teens aware of club drugs, such as
ecstasy and ketamine, requiring parents and teens to sign pledges of proper behavior and making the limousine company put a “no alcohol”
clause in their contract are a few precautionary measures that can reduce risks and incidents.
At a Law Squad session, we can address some common prom issues such as:
Is a parent responsible if a child damages a limo or hotel room?
What are the warning signs that my child or others are on club drugs?
How can I limit the likelihood that alcohol will be brought into the
limo?
No problem can be solved if it is not addressed. Schools need to actively educate students and their parents
about risky behavior and its consequences on prom night. Many students feel it’s
a magical evening where nothing can go wrong and where the rules don’t
apply. Parents are reluctant to be the “uncool” ones to say no to
excesses like allowing drinking or rental of a hotel room. A Law Squad
session specifically dealing with prom night can give parents the
feeling that they are not alone and that as a community they are taking
stance on an issue that directly effects them and their families. Last
year, a Long Island school decided to attempt to reduce the annual
escalation of prom night incidents by not allowing students to attend
their prom unless a parent or guardian had attended the Law Squad
session.
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