Yesterday, Bedford-Stuyvesant Preparatory High School principal Darryl Rascoe vowed to hand out condoms on prom night because it would be "practical and it’s the right thing to do.” But on second thought, maybe it wouldn't be that right: in the wake of controversy, Roscoe has backed down on his plan. "I don't want to do anything against DOE policy," he told ABC. more ›

A time-honored tradition of getting irreparably blazed before the senior prom went horribly awry for a group of teens in Glassboro, New Jersey on Friday night. Five friends were gathered in a silver dodge Intrepid driven by one regally-named King M. Seals, 18. But despite his magisterial moniker, Seals seems to have exercised poor judgment in failing to adequately hotbox the Intrepid, and the pungent scent of marijuana smoke wafting from the vehicle caught the attention of one Patrolman Ron Marchese. And everything went sideways from there. more ›

While a gay student was voted Prom King in Pennsylvania last weekend, some NYC-area schools are still uncomfortable with allowing same-sex couples to attend prom together. St. Anthony's Catholic High School in Long Island has barred a lesbian student from bringing her ex-girlfriend to prom as her date. "We thought it would send a mixed message to OK her request," Brother Gary Cregan, principal of the school, told MSNBC. more ›

It's prom season! And this year, teenagers want to vomit up all that 99 Bananas they pre-gamed with on only the finest of dresses. "It's my senior prom and it only happens once in a lifetime. I have no budget," one Long Island teenager, spending $250 to spend the night at a mansion in the Hamptons, told the Post. Good thing they have their priorities straight—ask any adult and they'll tell you hands down the most important night of their life was prom. more ›

Ah, to be young again. Two teens from Staten Island recently hit up their prom in hand-made outfits created out of duct tape. Erin Janosik and her date, who simply goes by Frank in this 1010Wins piece, are trying to win the Duck Brand's "Stuck at Prom" contest, which would get them $3,000 scholarships. more ›

A cross-dressing teen from Cape May, NJ was told by his principal that wearing a dress to his prom would "violate the school's dress code." Derrek Lutz had previously told WCBS, "What makes me a woman is inside and it doesn't really matter what's on the outside. And everyone should really just be treated equally," and planned to be at prom no matter what. And after being backed by over 600 signatures on a petition started by his friends, Lutz was able to attend in a dress with a female date, and was even crowned Prom King! more ›

Operation Fairy Dust is a New York based charity dedicated to providing prom dresses, shoes and jewelry to girls who may not be able to afford them otherwise. Yesterday they held their ninth annual dress giveaway in Brooklyn's Borough Hall, where girls from all over the city flocked to find their perfect outfit from dresses donated by designers like Oscar de la Renta. Volunteer Crystal Johnson told WCBS about the importance of prom night in a young girls life. "You wait for your prom day because you want to feel like Cinderella, and when your mom can't buy you a prom dress, it really shatters your dreams." more ›

City teens are transforming from Lady to Gaga this prom season! According to the NY Post, girls are choosing to dress more like strippers than schoolgirls... but what else is new? The look for Prom 2010 is all about baring the bellybutton and pissing off the parents. more ›

Today the NY Post profiled two teachers who educated their students in carnal knowledge, and paid for it. Well, sort of. One—former high school chem teacher Lindsay Dunaj—locked lips with a student in front of seniors and staffers on a prom booze cruise. Another, suspended Queens teacher Alan Rosenfeld, made lewd comments to eight-graders and “stared at their butts.” Yucky. And he still collects his salary! more ›

Kids these days really need to get some inspiration from Ms. Andie Walsh, poster girl for the wrong side of the tracks. The NY Times takes a look at how the financial crisis is hitting prom-bound teenagers and their parents—but recession or not, Molly Ringwald's character made it work with a hand-me-down and a little elbow grease (video!). Yet here we are. Take Lindsay from Long Island, she suckered her parents into doling out $500 so far with the old "it's a once in a lifetime" guilt trip. Meanwhile, the parents say they're "constantly worrying about money” and job security. With the prom industry expecting a 6% increase in business this year, it looks like one family's financial turmoil is another's recession buster. One shop owner told the paper, “Girls are going to prom no matter what... and trust me, a lot of the girls will not compromise. They will have an aunt pay for it, a godmother, a friend.” more ›

The Prom Dress Fairy came to the LES yesterday, as hundreds of New York City's high school girls were given the opportunity to pick up their ensembles for the big night, free of charge. The Daily News reports back from Operation Fairy Dust's seventh annual Prom Dress Giveaway that took place at Seward Park High School, saying around "1,300 girls attended the event, which transformed the high school cafeteria into a department store featuring over 2,500 dresses in sizes 0 to 16. The selection included more than 60 couture gowns, 50 personal shoppers known as 'Fairy Godmothers' to help the girls find their dream dresses," and folks were even on hand to make alterations. Just how good was the inventory? 17-year-old Melaney Rodriguez scored a strapless tulle Oscar de la Renta worth around $5,000, and practically identical to the one Sarah Jessica Parker wore in an episode of Sex and the City. Here are details on how to donate your old dresses. more ›

Life imitates Gossip Girl tonight as the teens from six of the city's most elite private schools join together for a prom in the Waldorf's Starlight Roof (the Waldorf ballroom is where public high school Stuyvesant's prom will be this Friday -- ground floor for the plebes!). more ›

A 15-year-old girl who was shot in the head yesterday died from her injuries. No arrests have been made in the shooting, but Brandon Bethea was shot shortly before midnight on Redfern Ave. in Queens. She was taken to St. Johns Hospital, but did not survive. Bethea had returned to her old neighborhood in Far Rockaway in order to find a dress for her junior prom, when she was shot. The girl seems to have been a random victim after a man opened fire on a crowd in the street. One resident was despondent about the senseless violence. "All these young babies are dying over nothing." more ›