State Rep. Jason Perillo, of Shelton, has added an amendment to an education bill that would allow Shelton High School senior James Tate to attend his high school prom.
The lawmaker first suggested the idea to his followers on Facebook and Twitter late Wednesday.
Tate taped cardboard letters to the outside of the school, asking Rodrigues if she wanted to go to prom with him.
“The punishment he received is grossly disproportionate to any offense, and I want to help get him and his date to the prom,” Perillo said Thursday morning.
The amendment was attached to House bill 6499, which addresses minor changes to education legislation.
Perillo’s proposal would require school districts to provide alternative punishment — such as community service — instead of prohibition from school events for students who violate policies within 30 days of the last day of school.
That is provided such violation is not an act of violence or property damage, Perillo said. A prepared statement from the lawmaker is posted at the end of this post.
“Very specifically, I think in these instances it’s important to have options,” Perillo said Thursday morning. “But at the same time, we need to preserve the administration’s ability to determine what those options are.”
Perillo called Tate a great student and a good kid.
“I think most reasonable people would agree that this is a very poor and unfair decision by the school administration,” Perillo said. “While it can certainly be argued that this measure I am introducing is an overreach of state government, I would say that the overreaching in discipline by this school administration has warranted it. While some punishment is in order, this is excessive.”
