One year, we had the tale of two school dances. That year one daughter was at a public high school, while the other daughter was at a private high school. I don’t need to tell you that the two dances couldn’t have been more different!
Some things were the same. Both dances were in the school gym. Both dances were on a Friday night…I think. Both dances allowed students to bring a date. Both dances recommended that students wear nice clothes…not formal…but not jeans. But the “what to wear” part was where the differences were striking.
At the private school, parents were outside the dance measuring dresses. Analyzing if a dress would past muster. Some girls weren’t allowed in to the dance due to having dresses that were too short or plunged necklines or backless dresses. Others hitched up their dresses once they got on the dance floor. But, staff were circulating breaking up couples who were dancing too close and putting wool shawls on girls with too short/too revealing dresses. Actually, there were girls who were happy to be “shawled.”
The rules on clothing were much looser at my daughter’s public high school. It seemed that “anything” was acceptable. I never heard of anyone being turned away.
Obviously these private high school “rules” wouldn’t fly at a public school. And that year we added a 3rd homecoming dance as my husband chaperoned the dance at his public high school.
