School officials call prom an event, not activity
DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — A 17-year-old home-schooled student is being banned from a high school’s prom even though she has participated in extracurricular activities there.
The Northwest Florida Daily News reports that Hannah Cooper bought an $800 gown and her date rented a tux in anticipation of Saturday night’s Walton High prom but she was told Monday she couldn’t attend.
Florida law says home-schooled students can participate in their local school’s extracurricular activities and Cooper had attended last fall’s homecoming dance, helped build the Class of 2019 float and tried out for softball. But school officials say the prom is an event not an activity and only Walton High students and their dates can attend.
Superintendent Russell Hughes said if Cooper attended, 400 other home-schooled students would be allowed to attend.
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Information from: Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, Fla.), http://www.nwfdailynews.com