James Tate said Saturday he’s happy he and his friends won’t be missing their prom June 4 — but he’s sorry for putting Shelton High School headmaster Beth Smith into such a tough spot.
“I’m glad that this situation had a positive outcome, but I feel sorry for putting Dr. Smith into this position,” Tate said Saturday evening. “I know it must be difficult as a disciplinarian to hold firm to her decision when people are against it.”
Tate’s statement came a few hours after Smith, the Shelton High School administrator, announced she was reversing a decision to ban Tate and two friends from attending their prom.
Smith acknowledged Saturday the media frenzy and social media tidal wave of opposition her decision triggered had become a distraction at the high school.
Backgound
Tate and his friends used duct tape and cardboard and posted a giant message on an exterior wall of Shelton High School last weekend asking classmate Sonali Rodrigues if she would go to the dance with him.
The bold gesture landed the AP student in hot water with Shelton officials, who gave Tate and his buddies in-school suspension.
The Zero Tolerance Policy
Shelton High School’s policy states that any student who receives an in-school or out-of-school suspension after April 1 is automatically prevented from going to the prom.
The story, fueled by Twitter and Facebook, attracted worldwide attention and landed Tate and Rodrigues appearances on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and the “Today” show.
The Change Saturday
Regarding Tate’s punishment, Smith said Saturday:
“In an effort to maintain a focus on teaching and learning, I have decided to implement alternate consequences on a case by case basis, beginning with James Tate and for other students who received internal suspension after April 1, which would then permit some to attend the prom.”
The “Team Tate” Accomplices?
Superintendent Freeman Burr confirmed that yes, the statement means Tate can go to his prom. The fate of his friends wasn’t as clear, due to the vague generalities of the statement and the fact the headmaster did not take questions.
Burr said he assumed their situation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
However, Tate and Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti indicated that everyone involved in the incident was going to the prom.
“I’m really excited everything worked out for my friends and me,” Tate said.
Article continues after photo gallery:
Pressure
Smith was under pressure from inside and outside the Shelton community to change her decision on the prom ban.
On a Facebook group called “Let James Tate Go To The Prom,” people posted the school’s phone number and fax number and urged the public to call and voice their opinions.
At least two Aldermen have said they also made calls to the superintendent’s office, asking him to put pressure on Smith to change her mind.
Aldermen John “Jack” Finn was on hand for the announcement Saturday. He said as recently as Thursday night he told Burr that Tate needs to the go the prom.
Aldermen Eric McPherson had similar statements on Friday.
Immediately after the media backlash, Burr issued a press release that said he wasn’t going to comment on the issue. Thursday evening, when asked by a reporter how he felt about Smith’s first press conference, Burr again declined to comment.
Saturday, Burr said he has supported Smith, but wouldn’t say if he had agreed or disagreed with her earlier decision to ban Tate from the prom.
When asked why the sudden change of heart, Burr said: “I think there was a lot of deliberation going on, over the entire week.”
“Needless to say it’s been a tough week,” he said. “This should not diminish all the hard work Dr. Smith has done here in her career at Shelton High School.”
A Study In Contrasts
Saturday’s press conference was much different than the terse, somber press conference Thursday, when Smith said school officials would not budge on their decision to ban the students from the prom.
On Saturday, Smith said she had no idea her initial decision would cause an international uproar. She has been maligned on the Internet, with people going as far as posting her home address and phone number on a Facebook group — police were notified.
Smith said it has been a difficult time and thanked her friends and school colleagues for standing by her.
She also took the time to mention the good things happening at Shelton High School. such as the fact an experiment created by Shelton students will be carried out on the next NASA space shuttle launch, scheduled for Monday.
Burr Saturday was looking at the positive aspects of the Team Tate saga. Everybody got a lesson in the power of social media, he said.
He also joked that Tate has set the bar high for young romantics.
“James Tate has set for all of us a new standard for romanticism that is going to be a challenge for all of us in the future,” Burr said.
Smith’s Full Statement:
“Shelton High School is committed to providing our diverse student body with a safe environment characterized by respect. Our staff, students, parents and community work collaboratively to encourage life-long learning and responsible citizenship.
The key to successful educational leadership is to foster an environment where student achievement is the primary focus. One must consistently re-evaluate all factors to ensure that this is evident on a daily basis.
I never thought that such a decision would lead to international notoriety, as I make tough, unpopular decisions on a daily basis. I have considered the effect this incident has had on the individual student, the entire student body and my staff and the Shelton community.
At the end of the day this is a school whose primary responsibility is to provide the best possible education for each student and it is my job to ensure that this transpires.
Throughout the past week the level of distraction created by this incident has affected the culture of Shelton High School, one that I have worked hard to establish. In an effort to maintain a focus on teaching and learning, I have decided to implement alternate consequences on a case by case basis, beginning with James Tate and for other students who received internal suspension after April 1, which would then permit some to attend the prom.
This decision will allow Shelton High School to focus our classroom discussions on established curriculum and continue to encourage students to develop to their full potential.
I thank my staff and friends for their continued support throughout this difficult time.
The Shelton High School learning community can now focus its attention on a much more exciting opportunity when our students make history as a science experiment completed by SHS students is currently on the space shuttle Endeavor.
I, along with the students who completed the experiment and designed the logo, their parents and other staff members were in Florida two weeks ago for the launch, which was unfortunately delayed. We are hopeful that it will go off on Monday.
Thank you.”
Team Tate Coverage
James Tate, Internet Folk Hero
VIDEO: Shelton’s Team Tate Appears On Jimmy Kimmel, Today Show
Lawmaker Introduces Team Tate Resolution
Shelton’s Team Tate Inspiration Says He’s Ready To Move On
Spin Doctor: Shelton School Officials Made Themselves Villians
Hooray – “case by case basis” – common sense has prevailed!
The “April 1st Policy” painted the Shelton High School administration into a corner, and the “case by case” basis is just good common sense.
However, what would have happened if James Tate or any of his knot-headed little buddies fell off of that ladder and were seriously injured?
There would be a huge outcry that the district was not protecting students, and there would be the usual knee-jerk reaction, calling for “24 hour security at the school”.
I get the cute romantic
gesture…blah,blah,blah, but Mr. Tate full well knew about the “April 1st Policy”, and decided to “roll the bones” and put a ladder against the building in the middle of the night and duct tape cardboard to the school.
Did he think the administration would seriously think it was “awesomely cute” when they rolled up the next morning?`
What happens next week when the next kid does the same thing, or better yet, tries to out do Tate and drape a sheet over the side of the building when he climbs on the roof.
Maybe there should be an “altitude clause” put into the policy: Students will not be suspended and may go to the prom for any infraction of posting signage on the building, as long as it is below 15 feet”
It’s also embarrasing and grand standing on the part of politicians to even think of getting involved.
Mr. Petrillo’s proposed legislature on behalf of James Tate at the state level makes me cringe…typical pnadering politician sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong.
Worry about I-95 that has the worst traffic jams in the state! Let Dr. Smith take care of the kids! Great support of your educators! Maybe they can put your decisions under the microscope next and second guess every decision you make, making you feel 100% supported.
Maybe next time, we can try it out at Town Hall. Maybe a kid can put a ladder against the Town Hall trawling for a prom date, and if the mayor doesn’t have him arrested, he can then transfer the event to the high school.
he said he knew he might get a suspension, and she had told everyone the rules, now everyone can go to the prom no mater what they do, just because everyone thought it was romantic doesn’tmake it right
This was a big mistake. According to new media reports, Beth Smith said that students were warned beforehand, that if they got into trouble in school property, they would be banned from the prom. So Tate as well as other students new about the ban. So, why should other students obey school rules in the future. You just cannot let the crazy mobs and media change the rules.
Now we can back to the important part of provding an education like installing cameras to watch what the children order in the cafeteria and what they throw in the garbage can – and make sure they aren’t sneaking in unhealthy sugary beverages like orange juice and whole milk!
sharpeye,
Obviously your screen name belies your abilities.
If you read and digested my post, you’d see that I said that I DID get the sloppy sentimental “Disney Channel boy meets girl, posts letters on a high school wall, they go to prom in a chariot” aspect of the whole story.
“Ashley asks Nick if he likes Miley……….”
It’s cute…..got it.
You’ll also notice that I began by saying that “the administration painted themselves into a corner” with a rigid-policy that allowed them no wiggle room.
It’s very much like the first grade girl bringing a plastic knife to school and getting suspended for “bringing a weapon to school”.
The inflexibility is a killer and makes school administrators look mean spirited and ridiculous. That dog won’t hunt.
Zero tolerance does NOT have to equate to MAXIMUM consequences. You don’t have to TOLERATE the behavior, but there’s no need to behead the kid.
If the kid had been suspended, but allowed to go to the prom, it wouldn’t be on Jimmy Kimmel, much less in the Valley Independent Sentinel.
If you come out of your “in love with love” induced-haze, think about it on a practical level.
Now that this kid is allowed to go to the prom, what happens when the next kid climbs on the roof of the school, and drapes the king-sized sheet over the top of the school, looking for “Ms. Right”, in a series of “it’s now okay to do this stuff” one-upsmanship?
“Suspension” or “Suspension and no prom?” How’d YOU like to be in Dr. Smith’s Prada’s, brother?
She’s in a NO WIN sitch, my friend!
She takes the slings and arrows every day on situations like this, and has an extremely tough job.
How’d you like to be in a circular firing squad made up of kids teachers and parents, sharpster, and do that for a living?
She took a tough and unpopular stand that took some major guts, and was probably pressured into chaning her stance because of the national attention by crusaders and do-gooders who have no idea what goes on in a high school.
The days of parents deferring to the school principal, the parish priest and the local doctor have gone the way of the nickle beer and bee-hive hairdo!
While we’re at it, how about the State Legislator proposing a bill that students be allowed to “perform community service”, instead of being suspended.
Who’s going to monitor it? If you have the kid work with the custodian, and he slips on a wet floor, now what, Mr. Rep? How ’bout you sharpeye? Want a crack at that one?
The parents immediately secure Trantola and Trantola and everyone’s in court. It’s the world we live in.
Check out this link and take a look at the new educational legislation in the hopper.
Do we really need “AN ACT CONCERNING JAMES TATE AND PROM ATTENDANCE”, in addition to the already proposed and sorely needed “AN ACT PROHIBITING NONWOOD BATS IN YOUTH BASEBALL”?
http://www.casciac.org/legalerts.shtml
Do you really feel this is worthy of a second of time from your State Representative, trying to shove his name and face in front of any lens that will focus on him?
What is worse, government by the media mobs or by the corrupt politicians??