<p>Wow. Every so often, words fail me. Just wow.</p>
<p>Romani, I live on Staten Island. Most proms are either in New Jersey or Manhattan, which are “over the bridge.” There is public transportation to manhattan but not New Jersey. My d attended the most diverse, economically challenged school in the borough. The prom was a cruise around manhattan leaving from New Jersey. The tickets were $250 per couple then and are now $300. Turnout has never been huge.</p>
<p>I never realized segregated proms were possible until some years ago I found out they were common in Mississippi. Never imagined it could happen after the 1960’s, though I knew the schools resegregated with the rise of private white schools. There are certainly segregated schools in any region. That’s a separate issue.</p>
<p>I guess proms that cost $300 to START with would be one reason a kid would be willing to skip a prom in favor of a summer program at a college (see other thread).</p>
<p>As for the segregated proms-nothing about racism surprises me anymore. The rise of private academies in the south came about because of integration-segregated prom in integrated schools would be a logical step. I know it’s not universal-I have several friends in the south who are anything but racist, and northern relatives who ARE. </p>
<p>That said, it kills me that this is still an issue.</p>
<p>Super expensive proms have the practical effect of being segregated.</p>
<p>Wow, the prices of proms are absolutely ridiculous in some places. I knew about ridiculous prices that people paid for dresses and such (yuck) but I didn’t know about tickets, too. Just wow…</p>
<p>In the Chicago area, there are all sorts of segregated proms. Suburbs full of light skinned people having their proms. All over the country there are segregated proms going on right this very year. Let’s not get too snooty as northerners. We tend to live in very, very undiverse areas and pat ourselves on the back for our lack of racism.</p>
<p>I am a Northerner but I have always wanted to move South. My dream is to live in Charleston, South Carolina. I visit many states throughout the South on a yearly basis, and the charm and culture of the Southeastern United States, and especially that of the Lowcountry in South Carolina, is wonderful. I love the beautiful antebellum architecture of the lavish coastal plantations, and I feel that the heart of American music rose from Southern culture. I am a musician who plays a variety of instruments proficiently, and enjoy genres of music ranging from classical to country. However, I am a huge fan of bluegrass and blues music. Both would not exist if it were not for the South. I am a conservative individual, and unfortunately am attending a liberal college. While I feel that all races deserve the right to be free, and they should be able to pursue happiness, I do not feel that a segregated prom is necessarily an awful idea. I personally think that a segregated prom may be good as long as an individual of any race reserves the right to attend any prom they choose. For instance, a white could attend the black prom, and a black could attend the white prom. I just think each respective prom could be more culturally geared to each respective group so that the patrons could have a better time.</p>
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<p>That doesn’t make any sense. By definition, they could not attend the other prom…</p>
<p>I also think it’s interesting that you chose to create an account specifically for this ;)</p>
<p>Romani - Actually, I didn’t create an account just for this. I originally made the account to have an area to babble about my college woes other than Yahoo Answers. (You never really get that great of answers on Yahoo Answers). But when I checked new posts, I couldn’t help but post something on this one. To your other response, I realize that currently, this segregated prom isn’t allowing race intermingling, however, I was stating, that in my opinion, I think a segregated prom could work if all races could jump between the proms, however each respective prom would be more culturally fitting for the ethnic group it was created for. It would reduce fights, and create a better environment for those who do not care for immersion into other cultures.</p>
<p>And how many proms have race-based fights? Is this a big problem? I’ve personally never heard of it so I’m all ears.</p>
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<p>Me, too. I am from a pretty non-diverse town so maybe we were one of the few high schools not experiencing this. ;)</p>
<p>I personally don’t understand what the big deal is. segregated, integrated, does it matter that much? </p>
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I think some Southerners just get upset by comment like these, because they ignore that a lot of perfectly nice people live in the South. yes, the South statistically has more intolerant incidents than the North- but that doesn’t necessarily mean that these types of things represent all Southerners.</p>
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<p>As someone who is biracial on paper, white in person, and went to prom with someone who was also biracial, not white in person, and who has very close friends from all different backgrounds… yeah it kinda does matter that much.</p>
<p>It is a private event. Anyone can do what they want in a private event, even if you think it is “wrong”, as long as it is not illegal. The school is offering an integrated prom, so be happy. Its America, people have just as much of a right to hate others of different races as others do to accept them. As long as nobody is hurting each other, I feel that it doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>"I dont. I dont! I dont hate it! I dont hate it!"</p>
<p>Mokusatsu: Interesting. I learned something new. I had never heard of that book.</p>
<p>Hey, those of you who live in segregated areas, speak for yourselves. My kids went to a thoroughly integrated prom, living in a thoroughly integrated town. just ask my S, or his lovely African-American prom date.</p>
<p>And stressedout and cardoza–no one said it’s illegal; just that it’s unconscionable.</p>
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<p>eireann,</p>
<p>Why do you think that racism is more present in the South nowadays?</p>
<p>Did something else happen recently that makes you believe this?</p>
<p>Stressedouttt</p>
<p>Yes, it does matter that much. As a minority, I face combatting stereotypes every day, and will-statistically- have a more difficult time getting a job in the corporate world than my Caucasian counterpart. To deny me access to a prom based off of my complexion, in the 21st century is ridiculous. Ironically, I just finished a discussion post for an online anthropology class I am taking on how race doesn’t exist, and how it is a social construct.</p>