I am the proud grandparent of a senior at Coronado High School, and I am writing with deep concern and disappointment over the school’s recent decision to deny my grandchild the opportunity to attend prom, a milestone that should symbolize inclusion, celebration, and belonging.
He lives with disabilities. Despite his challenges, he has shown tremendous growth, maturity, and character. Yet rather than being supported, he has repeatedly faced systems that punished disability rather than accommodating it. His Individualized Education Program (IEP), in place for years, failed to offer the meaningful accommodations necessary to meet his needs or help him succeed.
He was recently informed that he is ineligible to attend prom due to absences, tardies, and detentions, many of which were direct result of an anxiety disorder.
This decision not only lacks empathy, it disregards the legal rights of students with disabilities. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, schools are required to ensure equal access to extracurricular activities, including prom. Denying access due to the effects of a poorly implemented IEP and unaccommodated disabilities is not just unjust, it is unlawful.
As a Coronado High School alumna and a resident of this community for over 60 years, I am profoundly disappointed. Four generations of our family have lived in Coronado, and we have always believed this town stood for fairness, compassion, and support for every student. This decision violates those values. Prom should not be a reward for perfection, it should be a celebration of perseverance, growth, and community.
Please note that prom is scheduled for May 24. This is a time sensitive issue. I urge Coronado High School to reconsider this decision, not only for my grandchild, but for every student with a disability who deserves to be seen, supported, and included.
No student, whether with a disability or not, should be excluded from something as meaningful as prom over something as inconsequential as tardies and detentions. I thought we had moved beyond the punitive practices of punishment from the past and embraced more supportive, restorative approaches that guide students with understanding and dignity.
