Like something out of Mean Girls

... only a pair of Vice Principals are pulling the dirty trick.

*** Again, this is personal, not political*** This is an update for anyone who read about my daughter not being allowed to go to her class's prom.

Mia is normally complacent. She doesn't like confrontation and after my conversation with the female vice-principal, I thought she was ready to take *no* for an answer. Then she came to me on Tuesday night and said she was thinking about going to the school in the morning to talk with the VP who was in charge of the prom, the man who'd originally said no. She'd never actually had a conversation with him, she had been told by a secretary that he had said no. I thought it would be a good idea for her to have the conversation with the man in charge. So, yesterday she went.

Late in the day she called me at work, quietly excited. She told me, it wasn't for sure, but Mr. L had listened to everything she had to say and seemed to understand. He told her that because he didn't know her very well, he'd rather people who knew her better make the decision. He asked who her guidance councillor was and which VP she'd been assigned to. He told her to talk with them tomorrow (today) and if they said she could go, he would allow it.

Last night she was cautiously optimistic. We already knew that her guidance counsellor, Miss B. was okay with her going to prom, and her VP Ms D. had told me on the phone that her *no* was based on Mr. L's opinion. Given that Mr. L. seemed to have relented, it seemed fairly sure that Ms D. would have a similar change of heart.

Today Mia went to the school and waited in the guidance office for Miss B. who told her that Mr. L. wanted to see her. Miss B. told Mia she believed the answer must be yes.

Nope. Mr. L. had made an about face. His reason . . . prom is a celebration for the graduating class. You aren't graduating. It's an excuse. Anyone who knows anyone in high school over the past few years, knows that there are dozens of kids who take a fifth year and won't graduate with their year. They still go to prom.

You might say she shouldn't have bothered or that she's no worse off that she was Tuesday night when she was already *not allowed*. But it's worse now. Yesterday Mr. L. could have said: look, we've given you the reasons, no. Instead, he gave her hope and then pulled out the rug . . . that's cruel. That's what you might expect from immature people . . . like teenagers . . . not two, educated people who are supposed to understand how to deal effectively with teenagers and to help them to learn and grow into better people. Epic failure. Fortunately, my daughter is emotionally stable despite the depression she's been dealing with . . . they mightn't be so lucky the next time they pull a stunt like this on an emotionally fragile teen.

canadianna