Restrictions on Masks For Maquerade Prom Night

Moments after the teacher leaves, conversations break out in every classroom. Piggy banks are being raided of their full bellies and butterflies are flying in nervous stomachs. All of these occurrences lead up to a single night in May — Prom.

“Prom is something every high school student should experience,” Head of Prom Committee Amber Staggs said. “For juniors and seniors at the end of high school, it’s the last time they can spend time with their friends and it’s kind of a good send off of sorts for the seniors. Overall it’s just a good time. You get to dress up, you get to go out to dinner, dance and spend time with your best friends in high school.”

As Prom draws nearer and nearer with every passing day, more and more students are preparing for the big night by renting tuxedos, purchasing dresses and making a move towards that one person who they had always eyed from afar. As long as attire is modest, students can take Prom as a rare opportunity to deck out outfits that can be a little more fancy than the usual t shirt, jeans and converse.

“While it’s a little more liberal at Prom, you still have to be covered,” Staggs said. “The suits and tuxes for the guys still need to be modest, and [dresses slightly above the knee and similar styles] are kind of a judgment call. Students know when what they’re wearing is inappropriate. If there’s too much skin showing, they will not be allowed into the event.”

Recently, a new restriction has bubbled to the surface of prom’s punch however. Along with this year’s theme of a masquerade ball, students are restricted from wearing elastic band masks that can conceal their faces. This regulation is partly due to Prom’s new venue at the Space and Rocket Center, which does not permit face recognition concealing headwear.

“If we have anybody that tries to damage an exhibit or someone is coming in with alcohol, we need to be able to see their faces on the camera,” Staggs said. “We’re going to have to be able to make out a person’s face. If people have masks on, then we’re not going to be able to see who they are.”

Yet, there is one alternative option; the Space and Rocket Center has gifted students the permission to carry a masquerade mask on a stick during the Prom. The idea that stands is students will not be able to cause much damage to exhibits if one of their arms is occupied trying to conceal their face with their masquerade stick.

“I know some students are on the fence because of the [no headwear masquerade mask regulations] and [that], for safety reasons we have to have [all masks] on a stick,” Student Prom sponsor Maya Ifekauche said. “[Most students rather just have it with the elastic wrapped around their head than holding [the mask’s stick] the whole night. And I can understand why because you don’t get anywhere to put them and [the masquerade sticks] can get lost.”

Preparations to make Sparkman’s 2017 Prom are still under way, and shipments of centerpieces that go with this year’s theme are finally arriving to be set up and mantled during the meeting of prom committee. During either April or May, the committee will be set up on stage to give students their tickets, invitation and party favor for them to keep until the night of Prom.

“[If new mask restrictions are disregarded], the mask will be confiscated,” Staggs said. “If from there the student had an extra [headwear mask] and tried to [wear that after the confiscation of the first mask], then they are referred to an administrator. Our rules for Prom are, if you can’t follow our rules, worse case scenario you’re escorted out. Students need to follow all rules at prom, not just the ones concerning the masks.”