What would the late John Hughes say? The director's 1980s flicks were chock-full of school dances, the the tradition is being phased out — in New York State, at least. Instead, teens are connecting on social media platforms like Snapchat, where it’s easier to make bad decisions if you can convince yourself that it really will disappear after 10 seconds.
Business Insider spoke to Cross River High assistant principle Lisa Kor and learned that fewer students attended their school get-downs; the administration cut them almost completely.
"Technology definitely allows the kids to find easier and faster ways to interact with one another," Kor admitted, "so maybe they don't feel like going to a school dance is a necessary way to socialize. But it's disappointing to watch the tradition fade."
Apparently, these kids are barely staying through dinner at their prom, which is pretty wasteful in my opinion. I don’t even think we were even served dinner at my prom, but, hey, I’m probably just jealous.
These days, “being cool” means divorcing yourself from “the sanctioning of institutions” so hitting the school dance isn’t the best use of your social cache. Plus, if technology is giving kids the adult-free interaction they crave, what's the appeal of going to a sweaty gym full of hawk-eyed grown-ups?