‘Rebel ball’ after pupils not invited to official school event – BBC News

Some Cornish parents whose children have been excluded from prom are holding an alternative end-of-year party.

Parents of Year 11 students at Bodmin College received letters on Friday inviting their children to their end-of-year prom due to unsatisfactory attendance.

Many parents criticized the punishment, saying it prevented children from celebrating the end of their final exams.

Bodmin College said parents and carers had been warned in March and the prom was “a privilege dependent on good attendance and behaviour”.

The prom is expected to see about 160 students, making up 92% of attendance, the school said.

Organizers of the so-called Rebel Prom on the same day said they expected about 150 students and parents.

Sam said her daughter was not invited to the prom at the last minute for “trivial reasons.”

“She was devastated, we had the dress, we had her make-up booked,” she said.

“She couldn’t wait to celebrate with her friends, but most of them weren’t invited either.

“She was on the prom committee, but she had behavior points that counted more than 10 for things like forgetting her equipment, forgetting her gym kit.”

Sam said she was inundated with responses from parents in a similar position after posting her story on social media.

She and other parents now organize the alternative Rebel Prom with the youth group Kick Back Street Kids (KBSK), which works with children and families struggling with financial and social hardship.

Adie Dove from KBSK said: “It was incredible to see the whole Bodmin community and businesses coming together to support our young people.

‘We received balloon arches, prom dresses and food.

“We were given a venue by a holiday park and a band and DJs offered to play for free.”

She said some of those not invited to the prom “came from challenging backgrounds, so I think they all deserve to celebrate this milestone.”

Mikaela, 16, said her mother was diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder almost two years ago “and then I started having stomach problems, so I went back and forth and to the doctors.”

“I said to the teacher, ‘How can you take away my prom ticket when I’ve been bad and I’m a young caregiver for my mother?'”

Megan, 16, who was also not invited to the prom, said she had been homeschooled and attended the school’s agreed upon classes.

“I did everything they wanted and I just thought, what’s the point if they turn around and say you can’t go anyway,” she said.

A spokesperson for Bodmin College and Cornwall Education Learning Trust said: “As is usual in secondary schools, prom is a privilege dependent on good attendance and behaviour.

“The vast majority of our students meet these requirements and will be attending the event later this month.

“However, there are a small number of students whose behavior or attendance was not in line with the set expectations and therefore will not be admitted to the occasion.”

The college said Year 11 students, parents and guardians were warned about the measures by letter on March 4.

“While we understand this may be distressing for some families, we continue to follow school policy and celebrate the hard work and achievements of students who have met our high standards and expectations,” the council said.