The principal of a Maine high school says the school will not offer any school dances this academic year with the exception of prom, because administrators believe modern dance culture is too suggestive for them to condone.
Gorham High School Principal Chris Record said in a post on the school's website that the administration will instead offer different kinds of "social, safe, and appropriate" events for students this year. Record said school dances in past years have been "plagued by the culture of grinding," which he called "sexually suggestive."
"Grinding basically involves a girl having her back and buttocks pushed up/pulled up against the boy’s groin with the boy’s hands on her hips and other places," Record wrote. "There is a spectrum of this dancing that includes some space between the partners to absolutely no space and even the girl bending over in front of the boy."
Record's post cites a homecoming dance a year ago during which students were reminded that grinding was not allowed. He said this led to a walk-out for two-thirds of the students who attended the dance.
Record said activities like bonfires could be more appropriate.
