Dorchester school postpones prom hours before event

DORCHESTER, S.C. (WCBD) – Woodland High School on Friday announced that it would be postponing its prom just one hour before the event was set to take place.

According to a now-deleted post made shortly before 6:00 p.m. on the school’s Facebook page, the decision was made due to “extreme and unsafe weather conditions.”

Potentially severe weather is expected across the Lowcountry Friday night. Prom was supposed to be held at an outdoor venue, and no inclement weather plans were made.

Hundreds of comments on the Facebook post expressed concern for the failure of organizers to make contingency plans, especially knowing how fickle Lowcountry weather can be.

The post went on to say that prom would be rescheduled, and the new date would be announced next week.

One parent told News 2 that the Facebook post was the only announcement made; the school did not call to tell parents about the cancellation. While parents and students are happy prom was not outright cancelled, many are angry about the late notice and lack of planning.

Prom is not a cheap event. While dresses can be re-worn, many students who chose to rent tuxes were left all dressed up with nowhere to go. Those who invest in things like hair and makeup appointments or limos cannot get the money back for the services rendered prior to the postponed event. Moreover, if they plan to attend the rescheduled prom, they’ll have to decide whether to shell out for those services again.

After parents showed up at the school and offered to set up in the gym themselves, a Dorchester District 4 superintendent made the decision to go on with the event and move it inside the gym.

At 8:23 p.m., the school posted to its Facebook page that prom was being moved inside. Videos sent to News 2 show parents rolling tarps out across the gym floor to set up for the event as students in tuxes and gowns look on from the sidelines.