'No Issues' at Smithfield HS Homecoming Dance, Says O'Brien

Last weekend's Smithfield High School homecoming dance "went smoothly," and organizers and school officials had "no issues" with student behavior, according to Supt. Robert O'Brien — in contrast to the recent incidents at a dance in Middletown. 

According to MiddletownPatch, students were upset at that district's "no-grinding" policy — which bans sexually suggestive dancing — and began to protest, prompting school officials to end the dance more than an hour early.

O'Brien explained student behavior at dances "is an issue that's been around for a long time — the way kids dance, it's always been a concern."

Locally, the high school student handbook states:

Any form of dancing (i.e. break dancing, slam dancing, grinding) that is deemed to be dangerous or inappropriate will not be tolerated. This includes any sexually explicit or violence-oriented dancing. All dancing must be done face to face. [emphasis in original]

O'Brien said that policy has been working — though he added that he thinks there was more to the Middletown incident than just inappropriate dancing.

[MiddletownPatch reported that some students "sat on the floor in protest" because they couldn't request songs, while others started a "mosh pit" at the venue, posing a safety hazard.]

"When the students are not listening, that doesn't leave you many options," O'Brien explained. "When you're dealing with kids, you can have the best rules in the world, but when it crosses the line and interferes with other students, there's got to be some consequence for that."

After Middletown school officials shut down the dance and sent the students home, several parents complained that their kids were left in a potentially unsafe situation — and O'Brien said he can understand their viewpoint.

"The larger issues wasn't over the cancelling of the dance, but the communication with parents," O'Brien explained. "It seemed to me that the majority of the parents weren't upset about the cancellation of the dance over the inappropriate things being done there — you've got to balance the safety of the kids [with the decision to shut down the event], and we've got the responsibility to do that."

O'Brien said he's a believer in the idea that adults "should be looking out for the best interests and the safety of the kids — it's a difficult balance today, because kids don't know where that line is."