Watch out if you want to do dances that are in style at your next school dance, youngsters, because it might be banned. It seems that a Maryland high school has banned “twerking” and other dancing that might have just a hint of simulated sex (hey, last I checked, a lot of dancing was simulated sex, but I digress).
That’s right, if you are a student at Annapolis High School in Baltimore, Maryland, you have to sign a “dance contract” saying that you will not engage in?”no grinding, intimate touching or dancing with your buttocks touching or in the air.” Your parents have to sign it as well. If you don’t, you can’t go to the dance, and, further, if you break it while you are at the dance, you get thrown out. You can’t wear provocative/skimpy dresses, either. What is this, 1950? Sheesh.
Annapolis isn’t the only school doing this, either. Other schools around the county, state, and nation are adapting similar event policies, citing the discomfort of other students. Annapolis Principal Susan Chittim told the Capital Gazette:
This, unfortunately, has become the norm. Some of this crazy dancing that makes others feel uncomfortable. Some kids feel left out because of the dancing that occurs.
Now, I am all for stopping this “in crowd, out crowd” stuff. As someone who was a member of the “out crowd” in school, I know how hurtful it can be. But, don’t you think this is taking it a wee bit too far, Ms. Chittim?
Student Bailey Greene seemed unphased by the twerking ban. She said:
I know my parents would never know what that was, but now they know what twerking is.
I think that, thanks to Miley Cyrus and others, your parents and the rest of the world already know what twerking is, Bailey. That isn’t the point here. The point is that the morality police have their panties in a twist (yes, I said panties) about something else they need to leave alone, something else that they are using to stifle self expression. What, with all the school shootings and other things that are going on, they really should be worrying about that, and not this. Stop trying to stir up trouble where there is none and put a lid on creativity.
