Well, Maybe He Won't Be Getting THAT MUCH Action
Marine banned from Prom

Here's the story from The Daily Herald;

21 too old for prom date, girl finds out

By Jack Komperda Daily Herald Staff

Jessica Pope has devoted the better part of this year to thinking about prom. The Glenbard East High School senior spent the past two months forgoing lunch so she could instead use that money for a dress. Weekends were spent babysitting to raise more cash.

Her boyfriend, a Marine stationed at Fort Lee, Va., received permission from his superiors to fly to Chicago for the weekend just for the dance. But the couple won't be attending tonight's event.

Officials at the Lombard school informed Pope, 18, that her 21-year-old boyfriend, Francisco Velasco, who grew up in Addison, is too old to attend the function. "The main reason is that 21 is a legal age for alcohol consumption and that's always a concern we have at proms," Glenbard East Principal Robert McBride said Friday.

Pope still can attend on her own, but she has decided to skip prom to spend time with her boyfriend. "I'm extremely, extremely, extremely upset," Pope said. "I've been looking forward to (prom) literally my whole life. I've been thinking about it all year … and planned everything out."

McBride conceded that Pope's permission form was less than clear about the age restrictions for student dates. Pope "received an older form that said no guest over the age of 21 could attend," McBride said.

"That left her with the impression that 21 is the maximum age," McBride said. "That was our mistake, giving her the outdated form." To help make up for the miscommunication, McBride said the school would refund Pope's two $75 tickets.

And according to Pope, school officials on Friday also promised to pay for her $125 prom dress. But the Glendale Heights teen will be on the hook for about $150 worth of expenses involved in the post-prom activities.

Joan Daniels, Pope's mother, said she was furious with the school district over the incident. "They didn't even bother to say 'I'm sorry,'" Daniels said. "The whole point of this prom was for my daughter and her boyfriend to attend together. "Now her memories will be ruined."Never mind the fact that;

1. The school administators and chaperones are of legal age to consume alcohol. Are they banned from the Prom as well?

2. Does anyone really believe that they'll be serving booze? Common sense check: when I went to my Prom a million years ago, I managed to get booze... at the tender age of 17. I have a funny feeling that things haven't changes all that much. So this Marine being 21 is a moot point.

3. The young lady in question is 18. She's old enought to vote, buy a home, join the Armed Forces... but can't go to the Prom with her Marine boyfriend?

4. Concerning the School Board, is there a policy in place, or is this an arbitrary decision with ulterior motives? Oh, wait... they did notify that no one OVER the age of 21 could attend. This young Marine isn't over 21. But he's still been banned. Hmmm...

5. Her parents obviously don't have a problem with this. So why does the Principal?

I have a funny feeling this has a damn sight more to do with him being a member of the United States Marine Corps, than it does with him being 21.