Skimpy prom dress lands teen in cuffs

[UKking]

HOUSTON—Marche Taylor’s prom night experience wasn’t what you would call “the norm.”

That’s because instead of a night of dancing and hanging out with friends, the Madison High School senior ended up in a confrontation with school officials and escorted out in handcuffs. Officials said her dress was inappropriate for the prom.

“I actually like the dress. Everybody else likes my dress,” Taylor said.

Madison High’s prom took place at the Sugar Land Marriott, but Taylor only got as far as the lobby. When she tried to enter the ballroom, an official stopped her.

She was told her custom-made dress violated the school dress code.

“She shook her head, she was like ‘you are not getting into this prom,’” said Taylor. “We were arguing back and forth because I wanted to know why I can’t get into my prom.”

Even after offering to provide more cover, Taylor was denied access to the final soiree of the school year.

At that point, Taylor said she was furious. She said if she couldn’t get in, she wanted her money back.

Things got so bad that someone called the police. Officers showed up, handcuffed her and escorted her out.

It was not the prom memory Taylor was expecting.

Madison High School Principal Aubrey Todd said the dress was inappropriate and violated the rules.

“It was revealing in such nature it was not appropriate for the prom,” Todd said.

And while she regrets how things turned out, Marche Taylor thinks she had little choice.

“They didn’t give me any options but to go to jail or go home,” she said.

And she still loves her prom dress, even though in the end it will cost her dearly.

Source of story and picture & video of girl in dress

If the dress code was published/available and she broke that rule, then fair enough that she didn't get in. However:

"Even after offering to provide more cover, Taylor was denied access to the final soiree of the school year."

I think that is an unfair response, considering she'd paid to attend this event. Assuming she meant fulfilling the dress code rather than adding...a hat or something, then I see it as a bit gung-ho to 'punish' her by the full on refusal after her getting it wrong to start with. It's some girl and a dress, not as though she was trying to smuggle a ton of drugs into the party.

That said I think it's easy to interpret this situation in very different ways given the article. It could be imagined as a reasonable girl being aggressively disregarded (as with the boy who was suspended for taking a phone call from his dad...?) or alternatively as an agressive, typical 'gansta' girl with a horrible attitude getting very unreasonable when not given her way. I find it saddening that I imagine the latter to be more likely than the former (the myspace info only propagates said suspicions) especially as one would hope that the school would only resort to the police if she were starting to become threatening or disruptive. Plus as sensationalist as 'cuffs' sound in this context...would the cops have used them if she hadn't put up some resistance...? I don't know. But I would like to think it were justified simply to retain a little faith in the appropriateness of the police's response.

[abaya]

Whoa.

Well, her attempt to "cover up" didn't seem to do much, if you ask me... (did you watch the video?)

However, the fact that they put her in HANDCUFFS as a result is way overboard. I think they should have just escorted her out the door, and maybe given her money back, but I don't know. She probably should have known that her dress was over the top in the first place, but who knows.

[highthief]

OK, she's dressed, well, like a street walker, but this looks like it could have been resolved differently.

[snowy]

Originally Posted by abaya

Whoa.

Well, her attempt to "cover up" didn't seem to do much, if you ask me... (did you watch the video?)

However, the fact that they put her in HANDCUFFS as a result is way overboard. I think they should have just escorted her out the door, and maybe given her money back, but I don't know. She probably should have known that her dress was over the top in the first place, but who knows.

I don't know--the combined fact that they wouldn't allow her into the prom after her offer to cover up and they handcuffed her to get her out of there tells me there must be more to this story than we're getting here. I'm guessing it was a case of really bad attitude and a sense of entitlement. Yes, she paid for the ticket, but it's a school event--if you don't meet the standards and don't act appropriately, of course they're not going to let you in, and if you have a bad attitude about it, of course they're not going to have any sympathy for you. The dress code and standards of behavior that apply during school also apply at school events.

[Ustwo]

Non-Story.

[Redlemon]

You can just get a glimpse of the rules for dresses in the linked video.

The first one reads "Only one inch of the midsection can be shown", and number five says "Proper undergarments must be worn". She admitted in the video that she was not wearing underwear. Also, I don't think she'd be able to cover her midsection sufficiently with her cape, based on what she showed that she attempted to do in the video.

The rules require a signature at the bottom, so she had to acknowledge that she read them. She chose not to follow them. Sorry, no refund; the money already went to the caterers.

[The_Jazz]

She wasn't arrested for dressing like a whore. She was arrested for disrupting the prom when she made a scene when they wouldn't let her in for knowingly violating the dress code.

Conversation in 2018:

"Remember that girl that got arrested at the prom? Whatever happened to her?"

"You didn't hear? She's in jail for [insert crime here]. I guess she thought that the law didn't apply to her any more than the dres code did. She sure did look skanky at prom, though."

[abaya]

Originally Posted by Redlemon

I don't think she'd be able to cover her midsection sufficiently with her cape, based on what she showed that she attempted to do in the video.

Well, that was my point... if she had signed the rules, the least she could have done was to bring a jacket or something, in case she got stopped at the door (if she valued her ticket that much). But as I said about the video, her "attempt" to cover herself was pretty pathetic... to me, the top was the most offensive part of the dress, not the bare midsection.

I still don't think they needed to use handcuffs, though... unless she was getting violent or something? But they don't mention that in the story.

[BBG]

the mid section is what she had to cover according to the rules. And it says proper undergarments which means the probably 90% of the girls shouldn't have been let in because they aren't wearing bras.... she said she did have underwear on... She should at least get her money back

[Jinn]

Handcuffs can be used even when a subject is being detained, rather than arrested. If someone has been yelling at another person and waving their hands around enough, it's reasonable to me to think that she might strike out at someone; seems like a legitimate safety precaution, especially since she wasn't charged and was released.

[Tully Mars]

Why do I read this story, watch the video and come away with the feeling- teenager doesn't her way, throws massive fit and is lead away in cuffs?

[Willravel]

She made some bad decisions, broke some rules, and was held responsible.

[abaya]

Originally Posted by JinnKai

Handcuffs can be used even when a subject is being detained, rather than arrested. If someone has been yelling at another person and waving their hands around enough, it's reasonable to me to think that she might strike out at someone; seems like a legitimate safety precaution, especially since she wasn't charged and was released.

Well, if that's true, then okay I can understand it. I guess to me (previously), handcuffs were only used for extreme, very dangerous situations... which a girl in a skanky prom dress doesn't occur to me as being. But oh well, in any case, she was asking for trouble and should have prepared herself better for the consequences.

[RetroGunslinger]

She looked like a transsexual hooker, which according to the rules was not allowed, and she thought differently. And knowing how black teenage girls tend to react to those types of situations, I'm guessing she didn't take it sitting down.

[abaya]

Originally Posted by RetroGunslinger

And knowing how black teenage girls tend to react to those types of situations, I'm guessing she didn't take it sitting down.

Gee, that's not a stereotype or anything...

[Psycho Dad]

To be fair, I'd wager though that he was not the first to make that assumption. Just the first to post it.

Looks like the rules for attire were spelled out clearly. This person chose to push it it seems. I suspect she knew that her dress was not in line with the dress code and had prepared herself to argue before she got there. Once there emotions took over and the cuffs had to come out. At least they didn't use a stun gun.

[Tully Mars]

Originally Posted by Psycho Dad

To be fair, I'd wager though that he was not the first to make that assumption. Just the first to post it.

Looks like the rules for attire were spelled out clearly. This person chose to push it it seems. I suspect she knew that her dress was not in line with the dress code and had prepared herself to argue before she got there. Once there emotions took over and the cuffs had to come out. At least they didn't use a stun gun.

Dude! Don't taz me dude!

[silent_jay]

Originally Posted by Psycho Dad

To be fair, I'd wager though that he was not the first to make that assumption. Just the first to post it.

I'll be honest, I was thinking it, I blame it on Springer, or The Real World....

[Shauk]

really, she can dress like that on the beach if she so pleases, but if she's trying to express her adulthood in a school environment, thats just lame. You don't get away with that.

no underwear? what'd she plan with that move exactly?

[RetroGunslinger]

Originally Posted by abaya

Gee, that's not a stereotype or anything...

If high school has taught me anything, it's how the majority of certain races act, at least in the teenage years. I've seen maybe five white girls in loud fights over bullshit in the halls, but I've seen innumerable numbers of black girls. And further, being a peer mediator at my school, I've noted that 9/10 cases I and others handle are black girls mad at each other for stupid reasons, and the only time I've ever not come to a satisfying conclusion between subjects has been with a group of black girls.

I'm by no means a racist, if that's what you were implying, simply going by experience.

[levite]

Wow, a whole bunch of people got upset because a teenage girl dressed slutty on the night of the dance when everyone ends up drunk and having sex.

Gee, this must have taken place in America.

Far as I can tell, it's a non-story about people with a whole lot of time on their hands, and some fairly laughable ideas of how to deal with teenage sexual expression.

[Jinn]

Originally Posted by RetroGunslinger

If high school has taught me anything, it's how the majority of certain races [in my very limited geographic area and similar socioeconomic status] act, at least in the teenage years.

I've seen maybe five white girls in loud fights over bullshit in the halls [Note: I've never actually studied this, and "maybe five" is a figure I am estimating based purely on anecdotal experience and fallible human memory], but I've seen innumerable numbers of black girls[Note: I don't actually mean innumerable, because there aren't even an "innumerable" number of people in the world. Furthermore, I've expressed it as hyperbole because I don't actually know the number, and am representing an estimation based on my pre-concieved perception, rather than hard data]. And further, being a peer mediator at my school, I've noted that 9/10 cases[NOTE: This is not actually 9 out of 10 cases, but merely an attempt at "statistical" representation of my feelings] I and others [NOTE: Not "others" in a statistical sense, but my 'peer group' validates my opinion of this] handle are black girls mad at each other for stupid reasons [NOTE: "Stupid" is my perception of the situation, and not actually based on objective criteria], and the only time I've ever not come to a satisfying conclusion between subjects has been with a group of black girls.

I'm by no means a racist, if that's what you were implying, simply going by experience.

If "high school has taught you anything" its that you can validate your assumptions about an entire race of people based on anecdotal experience with a half dozen teenage women in similar geographic and socioeconomic locations as yourself. Your conclusion is equally invalid as if you'd said the same about how "white girls" always act the same.

[RetroGunslinger]

You must be kidding me.

Edit: Perhaps it's just me, but it seems like a bit of a stretch to analyze an argument quite like JinnKai has when the thread is about a girl being arrested for a skimpy prom dress. Also, and it's probably just me again, but I don't have the time or patience to write out a detailed, well-researched explanation on why I think black girls are generally obnoxious.

[telekinetic]

Originally Posted by RetroGunslinger

You must be kidding me.

Edit: Perhaps it's just me, but it seems like a bit of a stretch to analyze an argument quite like JinnKai has when the thread is about a girl being arrested for a skimpy prom dress. Also, and it's probably just me again, but I don't have the time or patience to write out a detailed, well-researched explanation on why I think black girls are generally obnoxious.

It's just you. Your racist comments and views are racist.

"I'm by no means racist......black girls are generally obnoxious"

Also, this girl broke the rules and got called on it. *yawn*

[Willravel]

Retro, I've witnessed the same phenomena when I was in elementary school, middle school and high school.

BTW, Jinn:

The site is racist, but the statistics are 100% correct, verifiable in the Almanac cited. This evidence is not anecdotal.

[abaya]

Originally Posted by RetroGunslinger

I'm by no means a racist, if that's what you were implying, simply going by experience.

Well, now THAT's reading a lot into what I said.

My implication was pretty clear: simply that you were resorting to a very general stereotype, and that did not sit right with me. Your follow-up post gave us some insight as to why you remain loyal to the stereotype, so that was interesting. But it's still a generalization, and it doesn't hold true for 100% of the population that you are discussing.

This is not the kind of internet community where members can make broad generalizations about race, gender, sexuality, religious, etc. and expect that no one will notice. That's all.

[The_Jazz]

Originally Posted by twistedmosaic

It's just you. Your racist comments and views are racist.

"I'm by no means racist......black girls are generally obnoxious"

Also, this girl broke the rules and got called on it. *yawn*

Yes (unfortunately) and yes. That's definitely a negative stereotype you're sporting there, RG.

[abaya]

Originally Posted by willravel

Retro, I've witnessed the same phenomena when I was in elementary school, middle school and high school.

The site is racist, but the statistics are 100% correct, verifiable in the Almanac cited. This evidence is not anecdotal.

Will--what the hell? Since when were we discussing violent crime?

That chart has no place in this discussion, and it's also vague as hell. Correlating basic percentage of crime with percentage of minorities is very, very bad social science... that kind of chart is meant to freak people out, not inform them. It's also from 1995.

[RetroGunslinger]

Originally Posted by abaya

Well, now THAT's reading a lot into what I said.

My implication was pretty clear: simply that you were resorting to a very general stereotype, and that did not sit right with me. Your follow-up post gave us some insight as to why you remain loyal to the stereotype, so that was interesting. But it's still a generalization, and it doesn't hold true for 100% of the population that you are discussing.

This is not the kind of internet community where members can make broad generalizations about race, gender, sexuality, religious, etc. and expect that no one will notice. That's all.

I'm sorry for reading into it like that, it was wrong of me. However, I never said anything about 100% of the black population, or even of the teenage female black population. I was talking about a general amount. I have black friends, some of whom are girls, and even they have said that black girls can act "crazy" quite a bit. I'm not attacking blacks, I was making an off-hand comment about how I imagine the situation in the OP went down, and then I made the mistake of trying to, once again off-hand, explain what I meant.

I apologize for coming off racist, and I'm sure some will continue to say I am for what I say, but it's simply not true.

[Willravel]

Originally Posted by abaya

Will--what the hell? Since when were we discussing violent crime?

Retro mentioned fights in school. Then Jinn went on a needless tirade.

[Ustwo]

Originally Posted by Psycho Dad

To be fair, I'd wager though that he was not the first to make that assumption. Just the first to post it.

Yep, nor do I feel guilty.

When you can guess the race of the 'victim' prior to seeing the story, are you being racist?

Its not as if it was a 50-50 chance or even a 75-25 chance.

So while many don't want to admit there are cultural differences which lead to negative behaviors of a higher percentage of a given race than other races, it doesn't make it less true.

While treating people based on racial stereotypes is grossly unfair, ignoring racial differences in culture is not productive either.

A concerned citizen who wants to help people should be looking at ways to prevent such anti-social behavior in said cultures rather than denying there are differences, not all of them good.

[abaya]

Thanks for the explanation, Retro. It's just a matter of reading your post a little more carefully... you say this:

Originally Posted by RetroGunslinger

However, I never said anything about 100% of the black population, or even of the teenage female black population. I was talking about a general amount.

, but reading your original post,

Originally Posted by RetroGunslinger

And knowing how black teenage girls tend to react to those types of situations, I'm guessing she didn't take it sitting down.

... does not leave a lot of room for interpretation. You include all black teenage girls, without qualification. A better way to put it would be, "knowing how SOME black teenager girls have reacted to those types of situations, based on this particular experience of mine... " might have gotten less of a knee-jerk response, that's all. Once again, I'm not calling you a racist (I'm of the mind that every single person on earth is racist, anyway) ... just pointing out that we can only know you by what you write, not what you think or believe. The joys of internet communication...

[RetroGunslinger]

Thanks for understanding, abaya. I freely admit that I do have a problem with explaining my points, as I almost always leave some key information out of the loop.

[abaya]

Originally Posted by Ustwo

Yep, nor do I feel guilty.

Are you even capable of feeling guilty?

I don't think anyone is ignoring/denying the fact that the student is a black teenager, and that that may have some relevance to the story--however, putting it out there as the MAIN reason for her behavior, with only a 30 second news blip to inform us, does not sit right with me.

[Jinn]

My "needless tirade" was on the fact that he is proposing anecdotal experience as fact, something he has been "taught by high school."

Originally Posted by Retro

However, I never said anything about 100% of the black population, or even of the teenage female black population. I was talking about a general amount.

Originally Posted by Retro

If high school has taught me anything, it's how the majority of certain races act, at least in the teenage years.

These two seem quite discordant. Either you're speaking specifically about young black women in your school, or you're speaking generally, about a majority young black women. If we're talking specifically, I would agree with you in that my anecdotal experience young black women are more often embroiled in loud verbal and physical confrontations than white women of the same age. I must admit, however, that my anecdotal experience is filled with holes; I see more white women than black, and thereby when a black woman is being verbally or physically confrontational, it 'sticks out' more in my mind. Likewise, I've never quantitatively measured the numbers of each race so I can't say truthfully that it even represents a correlation of the "majority" of a race.

If you'd left that "majority" statement out, it would've been fine.

[Willravel]

Originally Posted by JinnKai

My "needless tirade" was on the fact that he is proposing anecdotal experience as fact, something he has been "taught by high school."

Was he lying about his experience? No? Then it was factual. There's nothing more to it than that. He wasn't making a blanket statement about an entire race, as he himself said.

[RetroGunslinger]

Originally Posted by JinnKai

If you'd left that "majority" statement out, it would've been fine.

Well, I've already apologized for not being more precise once, I won't do it again.

[Bill O'Rights]

Originally Posted by Ustwo

So while many don't want to admit there are cultural differences which lead to negative behaviors of a higher percentage of a given race than other races, it doesn't make it less true.

While treating people based on racial stereotypes is grossly unfair, ignoring racial differences in culture is not productive either.

Very interesting (and valid) points.

It seems to me that "political correctness" has simply taught us to ignore cultural differences, or even outright deny that they exist.

And, while the fact that the behavior of this one particular black teenager, in this one particular situation (which she brought on herself), is "stereotypical"...those stereotypes do come from someplace. Some good...some not so good. But, they're there. Ignoring them does not negate them. And yet, we've been conditioned to ignore them in some hope that they'll simply go away. But, to insinuate otherwise is risking being branded a racist. Since no one wants that...we turn our heads and whistle.

The 800 pound gorilla is in the room. Does anyone want to point at it?

[Shauk]

Originally Posted by Ustwo

there are cultural differences which lead to negative behaviors of a higher percentage of a given race than other races,

So true, yet people think I'm racist for saying it.

Sorry, I'm not racist, and here comes the fucking cop out, my co-worker/friend is black, and I think he's a cool guy. But as a general rule, he's the EXCEPTION.

[telekinetic]

Originally Posted by Bill O'Rights

Very interesting (and valid) points.

It seems to me that "political correctness" has simply taught us to ignore cultural differences, or even outright deny that they exist.

The difference between "there are differences between cultures" and "black girls are obnoxious" is not insignificant.