middle school requires kids to dance with anyone who asks

[dead0man]

link-MSN

But Azlyn’s enthusiasm waned when a different boy, who made her feel uncomfortable, asked her to share a slow dance.

“She was so excited in the morning when she left,” the girl’s mother, Alicia Hobson, told The Washington Post. “I asked if she got to dance with the boy she liked, and she did and she was happy. But in the same breath she was exasperated because she had to dance with the boy she hates.”

Azlyn tried to politely decline the invitation, but the school’s principal rushed over and told her saying “no” was against school rules, Hobson said.

<snip>

“Girls HAVE to learn that they have the right to say no and that those around them have to respect that,” Hobson said on Facebook. “I’m not going to quietly stand by while my daughter and all of her classmates are being wrapped up in rape culture. No way.”

Motta did not immediately return The Post’s request for comment on the school’s policies, but Hobson said he agreed to review the rule for next year since there are no more dances scheduled before the end of the school year.

“No means No! It shouldn’t have to be said twice or explained,” one woman said in a comment on Facebook.

<snip>

Similar policies exist at other schools and church dances, but they are falling out of fashion. In 2018, a Utah elementary school came under fire for a very similar policy. Boys and girls in Ogden, Utah, created lists of dance partners on cards before the dance began. The students were told that they could only dance with a classmate once, and they should not turn down a request for a dance, the school told BuzzFeed News in 2018. The school district rescinded the policy after a mother protested.

In an email to Hobson, Motta acknowledged it was unfortunate Azlyn felt uncomfortable at the middle school dance. He suggested the girl tell him before the next dance if she does not want to dance with a classmate, so he can discretely prevent an awkward situation, the Tribune reported. Or, he continued, Hobson could pull her daughter out of school on days when dances were scheduled.

booooooo

[John Dule]

Incel socialism.

[Diabolical Materialism]

What's the logic behind this policy? This just seems like a terrible idea all around.

[Cokeland Saxton]

What's the logic behind this policy? This just seems like a terrible idea all around.

[Santander]

This is such a bizarre American thing.

[RINO Tom]

Practically drooling in anticipation of someone coming here to even KIND of defend this, hahaha.

[T'Chenka]

Incel socialism.

God is good.

[The Simpsons Cinematic Universe]

Incel socialism.

bro, we're talking about 12 year olds for christ's sake.

This is obviously kind of dumb, but low hanging fruit that nobody will actually support. It's not like there was a rule that you have to dance with everyone who asks, the principal was clearly just concerned and made this up on the spot without thinking about the consequences. I think it's a valid question to raise why we have these kinds of events at all. The situation itself encourages bullying and negative student interactions. In my elementary school gym class, we went through having to dance with each individual student, in a rotating line. My guess is it's something like that which is being misrepresented. In such a circumstance it's valid to say kids shouldn't have to touch other kids any way, but then you need to give them the right to not participate without losing grades. Both for the kids who don't want to dance with other students, and the ones who are going to end up in embarrassing situations.

[T'Chenka]

bro, we're talking about 12 year olds for christ's sake.

Your dismissive attitude towards pre-teen incels is, quite frankly, offensive.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

What's the logic behind this policy? This just seems like a terrible idea all around.

[morgankingsley]

You know back when I was in middle school, I would have loved this idea as it would have made me feel more likeable. But now when I am older, and can see through the facades people put up, I have no idea why this would be passed. I mean, I get that it might make people feel 'better' but if the idea of people accepting or rejecting you on a dance is all that makes you happy, then I think you need to branch out what can change your feelings

[Badger]

What's the logic behind this policy? This just seems like a terrible idea all around.

[Meclazine for Israel]

When i was 10-12, this was the actual policy pretty much in country Queensland.

Because the process involved changing partners throughout the dance, it made no difference who you started with.

I am not defending it, but it was low stress and our social environment was incredibly relaxed.

No one had anxiety or got offended as they do now.

[Continential]

When i was 10-12, this was the actual policy pretty much in country Queensland.

Because the process involved changing partners throughout the dance, it made no difference who you started with.

I am not defending it, but it was low stress and our social environment was incredibly relaxed.

No one had anxiety or got offended as they do now.

Thank you for making me think of someone dancing during Australian Church class.

[dead0man]

When i was 10-12, this was the actual policy pretty much in country Queensland.

Because the process involved changing partners throughout the dance, it made no difference who you started with.

I am not defending it, but it was low stress and our social environment was incredibly relaxed.

No one had anxiety or got offended as they do now.

we did "square dance" (forwhateverreason) at around that age too.  The process involved changing partners throughout the dance.  Nobody cared who they danced with, but we all agreed we'd rather be playing in PE instead of dancing.  I don't think this is that.  The article mentioned "slow dancing".

[Sestak]

At first glance this is absolutely hilarious, but the more I think about it the more legitimately awful it seems to me both in terms of what’s physically being done but also in terms of the precedents it sets for all of these children.

[FairBol]

Stupid!

[Kingpoleon]

Who comes up with these rules? Some people don’t like other people; some people don’t like to dance. Get used to it, kids.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Feminists, libertarians, "toughen up and deal with the world you snowflake" boomers, and ~rediscovering the lost art of manners~ socons* should all be able to agree that this is unacceptable. My guess is not even the unpopular kids really like this policy, for the same reason that nobody actually likes to get participation trophies or mandatory valentines.

*Can you imagine trying to tell a late-Victorian or Edwardian "New Woman" that she was obliged to dance with any man who happened to ask her? You'd get stabbed with a hair decoration.