A Dance with Danger

By Venise Grossmann

Dreamy-eyed girls flip through teen prom magazines and wait for their prospective dates to ask them. Once they have accepted an invitation, they spend Saturday afternoons shopping for the perfect dress, shoes, and accessories. Best friends plan hairstyles and nail designs; young men reserve tuxedos and limousines.

The prom is an event that affects a great deal of students. It is a night that students dream of from the moment they enter high school. For many it is a revered night, second only to the excitement of graduation; for others, it is a quagmire filled with temptations and some do indeed succumb.
One such temptation is alcohol since adolescents can acquire it so easily. Over two-thirds of establishments that dispense alcohol sell to underage customers and do not ask for identification. Only a handful of students drink before the prom, but many indulge afterwards, either that night or during the course of prom weekend.

Another temptation for teens is drugs. Adolescents who use alcohol are seven times more likely to use illicit drugs; marijuana, coke, uppers, and ecstasy are readily available. Fifty-four percent of high school students have reported using drugs at least one in their life. Partaking in drugs or alcohol can lead to problems in themselves, but when one does so and gets behind the wheel, major tragedies can arise: accidents, DUIs, and even death.

Many students choose to wait until the next day before driving to the shore, a popular post-prom destination, but some make the road trip that night and do so either tired or under the influence. Some parents feel that they have nothing to worry about as long as their teens have rented a limousine and are not driving, but 55-63.9% of the accidents that take place during the prom season are a result of adolescents that drink and drive.

Students are able to easily secure rooms at the shore if they are eighteen or have someone who is of age to sign for them; some even have parents who are willing to sign. A few couples choose to share a room, but the majority either room with friends of the same sex or cohabitate with members of the opposite sex.
Behind closed doors, many students engage in drinking, drugs, and sex. Risky sexual behavior is often a result of drug and alcohol use; those under the influence are more likely to engage in unprotected sex. According to a national health care study, "One quarter of sexually active 9-12th grade students reported using alcohol or drugs during their last sexual encounter."

It is also not surprising that without parental supervision, fights often break out and other forms of violence, like date rape, occur.

A perfect night can quickly turn to disaster.

Those that plan the prom take preventative measures to ensure that students do not surrender to temptation. S.A.D.D., Students Against Drunk Driving, sponsor activities to make students aware of the dangers of drinking and driving. At pre-prom meetings, students who choose to go to the shore are encouraged to do so the next day and are encouraged to make the right decision concerning substance abuse. Before the students enter the catering facility, police officers carefully check for signs of alcohol and drug use. Chaperones also do not allow students to leave until a half hour before the dance is over, and once they leave, they cannot return.

Post prom activities are still available in some schools to discourage teens from engaging in inappropriate and dangerous activities, but many schools, like my own, no longer offer this option because of poor attendance at such post prom events in the past.

What then is a concerned parent to do? Simply open the lines of communication. Parents need to verify their son or daughter's plans and discuss the issues they will face and the proper response. Ideally, these conversations should occur throughout adolescence, but it is never too late to bring up these issues. Sixty percent of thirteen to seventeen year olds say that their parents' feelings and beliefs influence their decisions. Teens need to know that their parents are aware of what goes on during prom weekend and that they are concerned for their safety. Not only should parents discuss consequences, but problem solving and decision-making skills need to be developed. Parents and their teens can brainstorm ways to handle the peer pressure that is associated with drugs, alcohol, and sex. Some parents make a bargain with their sons or daughters: if under the influence, they will pick them up at any time with no questions asked and no punishments dispensed.

A teen's high school prom can and should be the dream night everyone hopes for, and it can be if parents are not afraid to address the big issues before the big night.