Underclassmen have the right to go to prom

Kip Mayes, Editor/Reporter

Recently, underclassmen and their attendance at prom has been under attack. The controversy came after prom tickets for this year allegedly sold out. While the controversy simmered down after miscommunication was clarified and all seniors were given the opportunity to buy tickets, the debate is still a valid one to have. Should underclassmen be allowed to go to prom?

In a word, yes. Underclassman have been going to prom since MHS first started holding the annual dance and this should not change. Not only do seniors have significant others who are in younger grades, but a senior should have the right to a plus one no matter what the age.

With the date for prom being set since the beginning of the year and the price for tickets announced two weeks before they were sold, there should be no reason seniors waited to get their tickets until the last possible minute. Every senior deserves the right to go to their prom, and every senior also deserves the right to bring whoever he/she pleases as a guest. First come first serve is the rule for the ticket-buying process and should not be changed because people did not plan ahead. If a senior bought their ticket before the Monday deadline, then he/she is allowed to go to prom.

We underclassmen who have bought our tickets have spent just as much time and money preparing for the prom we were invited to as the seniors. Lowerclassmen should not be blamed for things we cannot control. We did not set the capacity, we did not agree to go with seniors just to prevent other seniors from not getting tickets, and we did not want to do anything but go with our dates and have a good time.

No senior should be denied their right to prom, but setting a deadline for tickets is not denying their right. There was time to buy a ticket beforehand and it is no one else’s responsibility but their own to provide for themselves. In future years, it will be more apparent that a bigger venue needs to be looked into, supplying enough room for the entire senior class and one guest.