As the stress of purchasing dresses and finding a date arrives, so do the new prom rules and regulations. In an effort to provide a safe environment for all students, new procedures have been implemented to prevent anything dangerous from happening again. There are many opinions on these new rules and many people are questioning how this will affect their prom experience this year, and in years to come.
In previous years, prom rules have been laid back and less strict. Students were able to drive themselves to and from prom, no one was breathalyzed before or after the event, and students were able to have a good time with more freedom.
With that being said, students this year are well aware that with these new rules, prom will be different whether they believe that is for the better or the worse.
Last Year’s Prom:
On the way to the 2023 prom, several students were caught drinking alcohol on a party bus. The school took this very seriously. The students on the bus had to be picked up by their parents, many could not participate in sports, and the school had meetings with all their parents. The events of this prom caused the school to crack down on the policies for this year’s prom.
Former Pentucket student Nic Yassmine believes that students this year are “paying for the reckless decisions of last year’s prom goers.” This feels like a reasonable evaluation of this year’s prom because the new rules are all because of the actions of students at last year’s prom.
This Year’s Prom:
Several new rules have been introduced in an email sent out to all prom attendees for this year’s prom. This email states that all students are required to take a bus to, and from, Danversport Yacht Club, stay at the venue from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., and be breathalyzed before, and after, the event. These new rules have students less excited to attend prom this year than in years past.
The lack of freedom seems to be the root cause of this dissatisfaction with prom this year. Since students feel that many of these rules will put a damper on their evening, they are less excited about the upcoming prom.
As a result, it is reported that approximately 250 prom tickets have been sold, while in the past, well over 350 students have purchased prom tickets.
Meanwhile, former Pentucket student, Nic Yassmine, was interviewed on his opinion of this year’s prom. When asked his opinion on the new rules he said, “I like the idea of the breathalyzer. I think that’s a good way to make sure kids aren’t making reckless decisions, however having to stay for the full four hours is probably the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. I don’t think it’s fair to students who might have other plans along with the bus. If we have a license we should be able to drive ourselves and I’m curious how other guests are supposed to get there and how they will know everyone is on the bus.”
This seems to be a very popular opinion among students. For instance, an anonymous student said that the new rules “are incredibly stupid.” Many students are irritated with the new rules.
Staff, on the other hand, seem to have different opinions. For example, Señorita Cavallaro, Pentucket teacher and prom chaperone, states her opinion, “If [the new rules] had happened before last year I would’ve been like all with you like this is ridiculous, but because of what happened last year, either that or cancel prom because that is not okay.”
Cavallaro believes, “If they think, ‘I’m gonna spend this last night dancing and having fun with all of my friends’, then they will have a great time.”
This seems to be the opinion of many staff members whose main priority is keeping students safe. Understandably, teachers want to avoid the same issues as last year, however, students believe that these rules may be taking that too far.
Proms at other schools
According to former Newburyport High School student, Jacob DeCosta, similar rules are common throughout Cape Ann League high schools. DeCosta explains that many rules at Newburyport prom are the same as the new rules for Pentucket. DeCosta says, “You had to take a bus there, and everyone had to stand outside and get breathalyzed before going into the place, and no one could leave until the buses left.”
He explains that he “understands the breathalyzer part but I think everyone taking buses is pretty annoying.” This is an opinion many people have going into this year’s prom at Pentucket.
One difference, however, is that students at Newburyport were only breathalyzed before the prom, not after, which is not the case for Pentucket. Rules like this are the norm for many school’s proms. Pentucket is now following that trend.
Conclusion
With Pentucket participating in the trend of strict prom rules and regulations, students are less excited to attend the event due to feeling a loss of freedom. With the events of last year in mind, many students and staff members believe that these rules are reasonable. On the other hand, many students are concerned that these rules will ruin the prom experience. So what do you think, are these rules and regulations reasonable, or are they going to make prom less enjoyable for students?
