Central New York Prom Tradition Under Fire- 1 School Ditches Prom Queen For 2 Kings

Times are changing, and one Central New York High School ditched the title of Prom Queen and awarded 2 Prom Kings in 2023. However, that's causing drama now.

***Please note we will be updating this article with comments/questions you have***

In a postcard mailed to residents in the Vernon Verona Sherrill Central School District (Westmoreland and Verona areas), one individual is bringing attention to the fact in 2023, 2 Prom Kings were announced as winners, vs a Prom Queen. It was decided based off of student vote:

"The Prom event dates all the way back to the late 1800's in America. Despite the several decades of strict and honorable rules that have shaped this exciting yearly event, the VS school district somehow managed to groom its young impressionable students to accept the crowning of two kings. Obviously, this outcome is in stark contrast to the traditional crowning of a king & queen."

The letter goes on to state that this is "undeniably discriminatory" to the ten young girls at the school who "waited a good part of their childhood to have a fair and evenhanded shot at being crowned as queen."

"It is believed that last year, VS faculty was strong armed by less than 1% of students to modify how the votes were calculated. These modifications unfortunately allowed two kings to be elected for the 2023 Prom year. Consequently, ten innocent young girls had to suffer in silence and live with the fact that they were stripped of their right to experience a once-in- a-lifetime event the way it was intended to."

We talked to Martha, Group Superintendent of the VBS Central School District, and she doesn't know the motivation behind this letter. For the 2023 Prom, the district only received two calls on how the selection process was done. Martha explained THE STUDENTS vote on the titles, staff has no word or say. So in some years a boy and a boy can win, but it's a popular vote. The postcard is bringing this to light, even though this is a STUDENT VOTE.

Martha informed us in a class of around 100 girls, 100 boys, they voted for 2 boys. This wasn't a political stunt, but strictly students voting to have well liked, and well deserved, students win. The King and Queen isn't a couple, it's votes. Students are allowed to vote on if they even want a Prom King or Queen at all. This has nothing to do with politics, and the post card honestly seems to be bringing up drama to bring up drama.

***We are adding more on the process shortly***

"In light of the aforementioned, we are left with some vexing questions! Is WVS even aware of what they allowed to happen? Where was the principal or superintendent? When will they be held accountable for this discrimination, which took place against these innocent young girls? What faculty members allowed themselves to be strong armed by a student? Is it not the job of our qualified educators to protect the students from discrimination? Who are the two kings going to crown this year?"

One parent reached out to us and said this:

"This card is not accurate. Every junior class is in charge of how they want to run their prom. Last years class decided they didn’t want the traditional king and queen. They wanted the top two votes of students, regardless of gender, to win the court. Could have been a boy and a girl, could have been two girls, could have been (and was) two boys. This card is stirring a pot that doesn’t need to be stirred. Ridiculous."

Do you think it is a big deal the high school has two Kings vs a Queen? The letter mentions it has nothing to do with sexual orientation, but fairness. Do you think it's fair, or unfair? Text us on our station app. We'd love to hear from you.