Being a teen is hard enough without being shamed by your school for not having a date to a dance, but that's what's happening to one girl in Glenolden, Pennsylvania. Amanda Dougherty, 17, has been looking forward to her junior prom for years. She was all set for the dance, having bought the tickets, the dress, and everything else, when her date backed out earlier this week. Now, she's being told by the Archdiocese that's in charge of her school, Archbishop John Carroll High School, that she is not allowed to attend the dance without a date. Why? Because they have some random rule in place that says that only couples are allowed into prom.


Amanda is understandably upset, saying, "For them to say not that we're not good enough to go unless we have a guy standing next to us, it's just kind of sickening." Amen to that—and what a Grade A message to be sending to your students. For their part, the school wouldn't comment on Amanda's specific situation, but the Archdiocese did release a statement saying in part,

[T]here are various reasons that a student would not be able to attend. Not having a date is one example. Our high schools offer numerous dances and events throughout the year where dates are not required, but we view the prom as a special social event where a date is required to attend.


So special you have to share it with someone special? Even if you just met that "special" someone in the school hallway and begged them to go to the dance with you so you could get in? Yes, that sounds totally reasonably. Anyway, on top of the disappointment she's feeling, Amanda has also already spent about $1,000 on the dance—buying her dress, shoes, flowers, the $95 tickets. They better give her that ticket money back if this dumb decision stands.

Archdiocese Ruling Prevents Student From Attending Her Jr. Prom Solo [CBSPhilly]