Osseo High bans grinding at prom, dance too sexual
Photo By: Samantha Timmerman
“We’re standing up for not advertising sex at our school events.” -- Osseo Senior High Assistant Principal Ronnie King
When Osseo High School outlawed grinding at prom, many students were so angry they jumped ship, literally. About 255 students plan on skipping the school’s May 15 prom to attend a party on a boat where they won’t be kicked out for dancing front-to-back.
A few weeks ago, students at Osseo received a new contract for the prom dress code and dancing policy. Most students were fine with the rules besides the one outlawing grinding. This is how most high school students have been dancing for years and it is an acceptable way to dance in teen’s eyes. The new dress code said dress lengths, including slits, could go no higher than four inches above the knee.
Ronnie King, an assistant principal at Osseo, said about 95 percent of the kids at the past two school dances have danced in way that violates the new dance policy.
The majority of students feel the school has a right to make rules about how people dress and dance, but felt an all-out ban on grinding is over the top.
“That’s how we dance. It’s not that bad as long as you don’t get out of hand with it,” said Osseo senior Nate Eversman.
Mrs. Goetz, one of the teachers in charge of this year’s prom, said she believes dancing has become too sexual and explicit over the years. Grinding has been tolerated for too long and should have been addressed earlier, she said, and the school needed to “make an environment where everyone was comfortable attending.”
Goetz said students should dance in a way that wouldn’t make them feel uncomfortable in front of your parents.
A couple students said the dancing got pretty raunchy at Snodaze – the school’s winter dance. It was even rumored that a couple might’ve had sex on the dance floor, but that’s not confirmed.
UPDATE: So what happened on the boat?
On Saturday May 15, 2010, over 250 students from Osseo High School attended prom on a boat. The cruise was through Afton Hudson Cruise Lines on the St. Croix River.
Although many people were skeptical about the idea, the night was a success. It seemed as if everyone enjoyed themselves and had a great time. People danced how they have at every other school dance in the past, but it was still toned down a bit from the last couple school dances.
All the students were searched for alcohol when they entered the boat. There was also police supervision on the boat in case of any potential problems as well, but it was unnecessary that night. People were very responsible and respectable on the boat.
It was a nice set up because people could wander wherever they desired and just enjoy the night. There were three levels on the boat with plenty of room for people to eat, dance, or cool down outside by the river.
Nobody was involved in any illegal activities on the boat that night. There was a fair amount of people who were concerned that the students were going to engage in drinking or sex on the boat, which was totally absurd. The majority of the students are intelligent honors students who are the faces of Osseo High School. Everyone enjoyed themselves in a respectable manor.
Overall, prom on a boat was a great success that was very well planned. The students created their own prom that they will surely remember for many years to come.
— Reporter Nathan Palm attended the boat party.
King said the stricter enforcement of the dance policy at prom is not related to those rumors.
This year instead of going to prom, 255 students are going to have their own prom on a boat. They are renting a boat through Afton Hudson Cruise Lines that has a capacity of 350 people. Although at least 100 more people would’ve liked to join the alternative prom, people organizing the event didn’t want it to be overcrowded and said it was primarily for seniors.
Camille Howerton, a senior and an organizer of the boat party, said she never planned on attending prom, much less hosting a party of 255 people boycotting it. Howerton originally invited about 20 of her best friends to take a dinner cruise instead of attending prom. They weren’t going to have dates either; they were just going to enjoy prom night by doing something different. “We never planned on going to prom,” she said. “I had no intentions of getting back at the school (by holding our own party).”
Once another alternative prom – planned at the JRA building in Maple Grove – fell through, more and more students wanted to join the boat cruise. As Camille said, “It quickly went from 20 people to 40, 40 to 80, and eventually 80 to 250 people.”
Many students were also upset that the school didn’t just punish individuals for dancing inappropriately, and instead penalized the entire school. Students believe only a few people crossed the line at previous dances compared to King’s estimate of 95 percent of the students.
“They never gave us an explanation for the new rules,” senior John Bailey said.
As the popularity of the alternate boat party increased, so did the awareness of it among teachers and administration of Osseo Senior High. But King said even though the student body will be split at this year’s prom, the school is not going to budge on its anti-grinding policy.
“We’re standing up for not advertising sex at our school events,” King said.
Goetz said that she isn’t personally offended by the students abandoning the school’s prom. While she said she hopes the students have a great night on the boat, she also has concerns. “I’m concerned about liability issues and I pray that nobody gets hurt,” she said.
Although the boat prom is new territory for students and parents, it seems well planned. There will be 10 parent chaperones on the boat and 15 people from the cruise company. The company has a strict drinking policy and will end the cruise if a single person drinks. Students also created their own contract that they’re requiring each student and a parent to sign to make students liable for their actions.
There will also be people checking bags and other belongings when students enter the boat.
“It’s going to be like a normal school dance only on a boat,” Howerton said.
Although many students at Osseo feel like they succeeded in creating their own prom, the tension between older and younger generations about grinding is sure to continue. Schools around the country are doing the same thing as Osseo High and banning grinding at school dances.
“We’re a different generation, so they think that stuff we like is inappropriate,” Eversman said.
King said for previous generations, the style of dancing was never so sexual.
Even so, senior Kelly Lynch said the dance’s rules violate her rights. “We should be able to dance how we want to,” she said.
Comments
I went to Osseo's prom last year at the Earl Brown center. When I tried to describe the dancing to people I know after the night, the only thing that came to mind was "imagine a huge crowd of adrenaline pumping high school students having sex, standing up, with loud music and lights".
Further - I'm not surprised that they finally stepped in to stop it. And it WAS about 95% of the people dancing that way at some point throughout the night. If you want to get it on, that's fine. That's why you have an AFTER PARTY! I don't care if you get prego but I don't want your boner rubbin up against me. Sorry.
Dance styles have been changed,so are we suppose to pump our fist or dance like were in church? Prom is for us to have fun and if thats how we have fun why not?
well i don't think anything wrong with that cause its only grinding its not like people are having sex in the dance or something its just dancing clothes are on and people are around its not like there naked so i think they should allow it cause it as bad as kissing to cause that is touchy feeling thing to
wow dats real krazy but if dats how dey wanna dance hell let them their going to be da one wit a kid or a disease gettin ratchet on da dance floor so its nobody fault but there's but yea if ppl grind at dances then they are going to be tempted to do something else to so wow dats real krazy
ugh dey need to stop it
Reading this article kind of got me thinking that we should be able to dance we want to but, at the same time we should think about how that makes us look as a person. When we dance like that i do agree its kind of " sexual" but its just the way we feel comfortable dancing. On the other half the older generation feels that the way we dance is what "we are" and how we act even though they don't want to admit and , maybe some older adults don't judge on the way we dance but , in majority that how they see us. Also, i feel that what the students did with the whole boat thing was a great idea because they did it in a respectful way with making the contracts and making sure no one brings alcohol or any other items to mess it up for everyone. But, over all i don't disagree with the whole " Grinding at School Dances Rule" because its what they want and we just have to get over it sooner or later:)
ugh so osseo do hev some ratchets nd hoes dats real nasty nd krazy
I am glad they banned it I don't want to get prego the night after cause your bonner was in my JJ
Grinding at dances is completely pointless. If your horny why dont you just go and have sex. And for the guys orginizing another party on a boat...a no drinking party thats just lame.
iight first off grindin is jus a way of dancin nd ya'll stuc on stupid if ya'll aint get that... we're teens we lyk tew have fun nd get a lil sexuall... oh well teens will be teens, we should be aloud tew have fun until we have tew group up all the way... plus wat does it matter osseo students areknown for bein kinda sluty nd stuff... so i dont noe why all of a sudden ya'll wanna bust out sum dumba** rules...
get over it, its not gunna change the way we dance...
Went for my own prom last week. It was primarily people dancing solo and for the few of us that were grinding, it was completely cool and no one bothered us. That is the way it should be.
your lame i think. grinding is a lot of fun if you know how to do. and there is nothing wrong with a no drinking party.
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