School rules

It has been twenty one years since I was in high school. Twenty one years seems like such a long time ,but then again , living it doesn't seem that long at all.
This thought came to me the other day as I received the monthly newsletter from our local High school where Michael is now a sophomore. The newsletter contained more of the same information as every month, however I noticed a section titled school policy change.Of course I figured that this was something that I needed to know so I immediately started reading. The news was no big deal in the scheme of things but stated that the schools policy for school dances(homecomings,Sweethearts, Sadie Hawkins,Prom)had been changed and that students were no longer allowed to bring dates who were not students of the high school. Furthermore, any student of the high school who was twenty years or older, no matter what the reason for still being a high school student( those with an IEP have the option of remaining a high school student two years after their supposed graduation to attend classes at the career center and other reasons including but not limited to being held back one or more grades) at this age, would not be allowed to attend these dances. Wow, was my first thought. Though Michael has not attended any dances in his high school career yet (Most are closed to freshmen anyway) Cindy had attended several in her four years of High school. A couple of times bringing a date who was not a student. As a matter of fact her senior prom date last year was a collage student who was twenty ( almost twenty one ) at the time. Thinking of this , it occurred to me that it is not odd at all for a senior( male or female) to be dating someone who has graduated and or twenty years or older. It is even less of an oddity for a high school student to be dating someone who doesn't attend their high school. I found this new rule sad in that how many will not be able to attend these dances because of this newly implemented rule.The school's stand is that nobody will be excluded ,they just may have to choose a new date. But what if there is nobody at their school who is a willing or acceptable date ? I understand that the school has had issues of school rules not to mention ethical rules being broken at these dances and that they have no recourse to a non student, but there has to be a better way. Is fear of suspension , or less really going to stop those intent on rule breaking anyway ? Has anyone ever been suspended, or even less for breaking a dance rule ? Another school comment was that with students being allowed to bring an outside date, this prevents fellow students the opportunity to get a date with a student. Funny that this is the same reasoning that was brought forth when my Alma matter wanted to exclude freshmen from prom. Turned out that even though seniors were not allowed to bring freshmen, some people still didn't get the date that they thought they would.
This all makes me think, Are these rules really for the right reasons ( safety, accountability ? ) or just more garbage to appease those want to blame someone for their unhappiness. Come on here, is it the students who don't have a boyfriend/ girlfriend due to things like personality flaws who want to narrow the playing field ? Is it jealousy ? I don't know, however in my opinion , this is discrimination. I am for the use of Breathalyzers at the door. I am for heavy chaperoning, I am for "one violation of a rule gets you kicked out and banned from future dances", I am for discipline and accountability. What I am not for is being told who my child must date. I was more comfortable with Cindy with a twenty year old college student as her date than I would be with her out with a fellow student who may not share the same ethics and values, but may just agree because she wishes to attend her senior prom ! Is this not opening another can of worms? I don't know, maybe I am just different but this makes me think of a few girls who I went to school with. One was married ( by choice ) when she was an eighteen year old senior ( their marriage is still strong to this day ). Her husband was three years older than she. ( not a huge difference at all )This kind of rule would have excluded her from taking her husband to prom ! Another girl got pregnant and married , to a man a couple years older,before her senior prom. She also would not be able to take her husband. There were also some students who were engaged, who would not be able to bring their fiances. The school simply says find another date . Why should they. Maybe we should simply find another way to keep order. Nobody should feel forced to date anyone but who they wish.