NEENAH (NBC 26) — Neenah High School will not allow guests at this year's homecoming dance, citing safety issues at last year's event.
- Principal Brian Wunderlich says the ban is due to multiple medical emergencies for students at last year's homecoming.
- Parents have expressed frustration on social media. Other parents have agreed with the decision.
The dance will be held on Saturday, October 6.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Homecoming at Neenah High this year will just be for students from Neenah High.
The decision has upset some parents, who are now posting on social media, angry and disappointed, their kids can't bring dates who attend other schools.
We reached out to some of those parents but haven't heard back.
Principal Brian Wunderlich says the decision came down to safety.
"I think the thing that really kind of tipped the scales last year is we had a couple of medical situations, an anxiety attack, and overheating," said Wunderlich.
Wunderlich says those were Neenah students and the school knew their medical histories.
"But it really had us reflecting on, gosh, for our guests, if that was the situation, do we have all the information we need? Do we feel that it's safe?" said Wunderlich. "And I really just felt like, as we move forward, we needed to have some more things in place."
Tara Keesler has a daughter at Neenah High and another who graduated last year.
"I feel it's fair. I feel like it is a safety issue," said Keesler.
She says her younger daughter can no longer bring a date and her older daughter, who's dating a senior at Neenah, is no longer going to the dance.
"They've accepted it. My other daughter dates somebody from Seymour, and so they'll just go to his dance. It is what it is," said Keesler.
Wunderlich says in addition to safety, it's an issue of logistics, as more than 300 guests attended last year's dance.
"The paperwork that goes into that, and then there's 300 new variables into the equation trying to keep this place safe and secure," said Wunderlich.
Wunderlich says the school will look at this homecoming as an example to see if they can eventually make some adjustments for following events.
