A Prom to be Proud Of
Without a doubt, prom is a symbolic right of passage for many American teenagers. It represents weeks of planning, shopping, photos all for an evening of glamor and make-believe luxury. I'm sure any who attended their high school prom have one or two vivid memories of the night--something to share with your children as they too someday approach prom. Now imagine being able to share memories of attending your high school's first racially integrated prom. Sound like something from post-Civil Rights Movement Era? Guess again.
The rural community of Ashburn, Georgia celebrated it's first ever racially-integrated prom this past April. For many years, the community has privately funded two separate proms, one for White students and the other for Black students. Their senior class is composed of roughly equal numbers of White and Black students. Since the public school district does not fund the event, the blatant segregation is legally allowable despite resistance from many students. Parents and community members have allowed the separate proms to continue in order to avoid complications of interracial relationships.
Having ended class reflecting on the future, I think this story and the senior class of Turner County High School model how important the actions of our generation will be. Traditions only exist as long as people are willing to participate. Hats off to this group from Georgia for acknowledging that segregation is a tradition our generation will not continue.
Comments
Nice story, but still one of those "feel good" kind of stories. Desegregated proms don't help the low income families who are struggling to get by. And I hate proms. The rich get to show off and the poor get to struggle to be up to par with the rich kids. It's just a big fasion show anyways.
Posted by: Molly Kay | May 7, 2007 8:00 AM
Wow, I'm in shock that a school in this "progressive" nation of ours would still have a racially segregated prom. I think it's bullshit that someone didn't step up to the plate years ago and insist on change. It's despicable that it's taken the racist community of Ashburn, Georgia this long to integrate the races for a school dance. What a simple move to bring people together. I hope Ashburn is feeling pretty ignorant and racist for perpetuating stereotypes and racism that should have left this land a long time ago. No kudos from my end.....
Posted by: Grant Heuke | May 7, 2007 5:58 PM
This story sounds quite shocking, but I remember watching a Lifetime movie about this same topic within the last year or so. Apparently this must not be uncommon! I am curious who privately funds the two proms. Were the students given equal funding? Were the students the ones who proposed integrating the dance?
In terms of the interracial dating comment, is prom a reasonable preventative tool? It sounds stupid to me seeing as how these people spend about eight hours a day integrated - if they wanted to date it could happen during the nine months of school as opposed to one night. I'm thinking that is a cop out for parents and community members to have a "reason" that segregated proms should happen.
I am not sure whether it is relevant to give the community a pat on the back or a slap on the wrist. It must have been one awkward evening - black parents on one end of the room and whites on the other whispering racial slurs. Probably some rude comments made at the punch bowl and division on the dance floor. Let's face it - if people want to be separated- they will find a way. Even at integrated schools, it is safe to assume that minority students (black, hispanic, asian - whatever) will sit at their own lunch table.
Posted by: Christa | May 9, 2007 4:44 AM
After reading this article, I was hit by a strange dualism of surprise and lack of it. It is surprising that racial barriers within schools continue to segregate students, but at the same time, it isn’t so surprising. It’s not surprising that students are segregated based on race because our NATION is segregated based on race whether individuals choose to acknowledge it or not. I am a proud resident of Milwaukee, the most segregated city in the United States. I live a location that I am not stereotypically supposed to reside in and I am no stranger to blatant racial segregation within the city. It is upsetting that this racial segregation continues to plague our country because many people have no means of attempting to alleviate the racial bounds set upon them.
On a side note, I found it interesting that the article published by ABC news stated that 55% of students are African American while 45% are Caucasian. While reading, I couldn’t help but to think, what about other races? I question if there are truly no other minority groups within the school (I realize the school is located in a southern state so it is possible!) or if the media source biased these statistics in order to make the issue seem even more “black and white.� Regardless, it seems that refusing to acknowledge other minorities seems hypocritical as they are congratulating the school recognizing one minority (African Americans) while essentially advocating the invisibility of other minorities.
I do not know why this article seemed so surprising to me. Perhaps it was the fact that I hope for better. I sure hope it is not because I too am choosing “color-blindness� as an excuse to overlook racial inequality rather than face it head on. Regardless, I am neither giving kudos nor slaps on the wrist to this school, I am merely saying “It’s about time!!�
Posted by: maggie | May 9, 2007 9:57 PM