Ohio High School Principal Implements Dirty Dancing Ban
Thursday, February 19, 2009
A public high school principal in Ohio is trying to take the dirty out of dancing by forcing students who attend school formals to sign an agreement that they will not "grind" — a dance style the educator says "simulates sex on the dance floor."
Michael Mayell, principal of Brunswick High School in Madina County, Ohio, is requiring students to sign a pledge to follow 10 provisions if they are to attend the school's winter formal on Saturday.
Among the provisions, which include a dress code, is one that forbids the student from engaging in grinding on the school's dance floor.
"They're grinding. They're rubbing. It's just inappropriate, and we're not going to tolerate that," Mayell told FOXNews.com.
And if the student violates the agreement, he or she will be forced to leave the dance, he added.
Mayell said the policy has been in place for quite some time but has been difficult for school officials to enforce.
"We're going to change the enforcement. Any student who is doing that will be removed from the dance immediately."
He said his decision to ban that form of dancing has been met with widespread approval from the community — adding that school officials and parents throughout the state have inundated him with phone calls and e-mails expressing their support.
But the principal acknowledged that tickets sales are down and many students are encouraging their peers not to attend the formal.
Mayell said he does not care if it infringes on a student's freedom of expression.
"They can do that freedom of speech somewhere else. This is not the forum for it," he said
