American pasttimes

I've been out of high school for 4 years and I don't recognize it anymore...

Not along ago, browsing CNN.com I came across an article that read: Long Island principal cancels prom--Principal: School 'willing to sponsor a prom, but not an orgy'If you want to see this disturbing story in its entirety please click on
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/10/16/prom.canceled.ap/index.html

The basic gist of this story was a private school was canceling its prom to eliminate the insane spending of students and parents.

Examples:
-- Students spending over $20,000 to rent a party house in the Hamptons.
-- Pre-prom cocktail parties followed by a limo packed with more liquor.
-- Parents chartering a boat for their children's late night "booze cruise."

Okay. My prom was fun because mom paid for my $45 hair-do and my $58 dress. I drove in a minivan or whatever was convenient. I danced in my school lunchroom that had been decorated with hanging stars and a few tables with a candle in the middle. To me-- this was the height of luxury and glamour. And whatever, I don't care if that makes me look like the hick-girl from North Dakota.

I'm proud my parents never indulged me in such a lifestyle and don't get me wrong, I've never wanted for ANYTHING but I'm happy that my post prom party consisted of pizza, ice cream and karaoke machines. Not to mention endless bouncing on inflatable devices until I nearly passed out.

I realize that I never grew up in a super-wealthy home, or for that matter, a super-wealthy community so maybe I don't understand-- but to me it's just so disappointing to hear that prom has gotten so out of hand.

Prom is supposed to be a bunch of awkward kids pinning on corsages, feeling like royalty because 20 of them crammed into a limo. It's that last hoorah of High School.
We shouldn't be getting tips from the Minnesota Vikings and sponsoring booze cruises. Can't you hear some parent? --- "Let's let all our kids on a boat without supervision and get them drunk!!"-- brilliant idea or recipe for assault and drowning?

I had to laugh because although many students were complaining, they admitted that the senior class still had a four-day trip to Disney World scheduled for April.

Oh yes, you poor, poor kids. I feel so bad for you.