A Single Mom Was Not Allowed to Accompany Her Child to School Father/Daughter Dance

(Screenshot / WSB-TV)

Parent/child dances are a fun experience for many, but they can sometimes make kids from single-parent families feel left out. And while some single parents will accompany their children to a dance regardless of which parent it’s intended for, a school in Georgia has told a single mom she cannot attend her daughter’s father/daughter dance. The mom, Amy Peterson, is speaking out.

Peterson, whose daughter, Gracie, is six, said that she and her daughter had been looking forward to the dance for months. They bought tickets a month in advance, and they even decided that Peterson would dress up like a man by wearing a man’s dress shirt, bow tie and painting a beard on her face. An hour before the dance, Peterson and Gracie were dressed and taking pictures when the principal called. ”She said, ”˜No. I forbid you to come and if you show up we will turn you away,’” Peterson said.

Unfortunately, Peterson had to tell Gracie that they couldn’t go to the dance. ”How do you explain that to a 6-year-old? You can’t go to a dance because you don’t have a male role model in your life,” she said. ”I think they handled it poorly. They shouldn’t have turned any parent away.”

The school issued a statement explaining their side of the story:

“Per my conversation with school administrators, the mom was spoken to in advance of the dance. An apology was also issued and a refund was pledged in reference the money spent for entry into the dance. There were a few other mothers who inquired as to being allowed in the dance, and they were informed of the same stipulations.

“It was explained that the dance announcement indicated that in lieu of a dad being available to attend, any family or friend father-figure could attend. There are three different dance events the school hosts throughout the year to include everyone. There is a mother-son dance, a father-daughter dance, and sweetheart dance that includes students and anyone they wish to bring.

“The school is cognizant that different dynamics exist across households in our school system. Anyone with a question as to the requirements or specifics of any school extracurricular event is encouraged to reach out to a school official or teacher. There are multiple parent engagement events and opportunities to participate with their kids annually at this school in an effort to make that connection and build school spirit.”

The single mom told a reporter for WSB-TV, ”To me, I’ve identified myself as her father and her mother because that’s what I’ve done for six years.”

What do you all think of this? Should these type of dances allow for those different family dynamics or can the school just do whatever they want?