On Monday, April 26, a collection of 70 parents of students at Mingus Union High School, as well as some 50 local business owners, signed their names on a letter sent by Danica Briseno to the school’s administration, inquiring about why the school was not having a prom this year.
“While I understand why the 2020 Prom was canceled, I do not agree that this year’s Prom also needs to be canceled,” Briseno’s letter reads. “If this year’s Prom is canceled then the class of 2021 will have had no Prom available to them during their high school years. High schools in the Verde Valley, throughout Yavapai County and in Phoenix are holding proms and providing lifelong memories for these young men and women.
“As a parent, I understand that you are trying to mitigate risk [from COVID-19],” the letter continues. “With mitigation plans in place for school sporting events, theater and other activities, what is the reason that Prom cannot occur too? There is a plan for graduation and OpGrad and even the [Verde Valley] Fair is happening this week. Why is the Mingus administration not willing to make a plan for Prom?”
The letter was signed by families, community members and business owners, reflecting widespread frustration at the seeming lack of plans for an end-of-year dance for juniors and seniors.
But according to MUHSD Superintendent Mike Westcott, the school has not made a decision to cancel prom, but is unsure about the status of the annual event, due to ongoing issues related to COVID-19 mitigation.
“There wasn’t a prom scheduled at any point,” Westcott said, though he noted that the school district has not recently made any announcements, meaning that there hasn’t been an announcement that there won’t be one. It hasn’t been scheduled so it wasn’t canceled.”
Westcott said however that at this point, the school has had difficulty finding a proper venue to have the prom, especially with COVID guidelines leading to a need for a larger venue, or likely one that includes outdoor space, in order to allow over 200 students to gather.
“We’re actually brain- storming, looking for venues that could work that could hold a capacity that could hold them,” Westcott said. “Our planning right now is centering around a totally outdoor or combination indoor- outdoor, whether that’s our cafeteria, or some other venue.”
Westcott also clarified that if a prom were to happen, it would require some level of COVID-19 mitigation.
“It is certainly possible that such an event could occur with proper mitigation in place,” Westcott wrote in an email to Briseno in response to her letter. “I want to make it clear that within current guidance and district policy, that mitigation would include face coverings if students could not maintain physical distancing of at least 3 feet, indoors or out. This, of course, would mean that dance partners within 3 feet of one another would have to wear face coverings.”
Parents upset about the lack of plans for prom say that they understand that any prom would have to be different from a normal year, and that they are willing to do what it takes to make it happen.
“At this point, I believe that most of us are OK with wearing masks at prom if we have to,” Briseno said. “We’re OK with outside. We’re willing to compromise. We just want an explanation of why there is not a plan.”
Briseno and other advocates discussed the possibility of doing an unusual prom held completely outside on the football field, or other unconventional options, as long as it can happen. They said they are willing to hold prom after the end of the school year as well, some- thing Westcott said was a possibility.
However, they feel that even with Westcott’s assurances that the administration is trying to make a prom happen, they are not convinced they mean it.
“The most disappointing part of it all is the lack of communication from the school,” Kamla Delahel, the mother of a Mingus junior and a letter signatory, said. “We’re willing to work with them, but they’re not communicating what the requirements would be.”
The parents and advocates are nevertheless hopeful that with the agitation coming from the letter, as well as the school’s assurances that they do want to have the prom, that something will be done. They feel that the students deserve it, especially after last year’s prom was canceled.
“It is time for us to turn to a little bit of normalcy, to celebrate, or having something to look forward to,” Alicia Sorenson, a letter signatory with several children in Mingus, including a daughter who is a senior, said. “It’s kind of a rite of passage. It’s something to remember. They missed homecoming, and bonfires, and spirit week, and games to watch each other play in. They have done so well in doing what the school has asked them to do to make it possible. They have gone out of their way to show they can do what it takes to have some normalcy in their lives.”
The Letter from Briseno and Mingus Union parents:
To: Mike Westcott, Superintendent, Mingus Union High School
I am the mother of a Mingus Union High School Junior and it is my understanding that Mingus Administration has decided the 2021 Junior/Senior Prom will not happen. I have not officially heard this, but given it is April 26, and there is no communication regarding Prom, I have to assume this decision has been made and parents have not been allowed a voice in this decision.
While I understand why the 2020 Prom was cancelled, I do not agree that this year’s Prom also needs to be cancelled. If this year’s Prom is cancelled, then the class of 2021 will have had no Prom available to them during their high school years. High schools in the Verde Valley, throughout Yavapai County and in Phoenix are holding proms and providing lifelong memories for these young men and women.
As a parent, I understand that you are trying to mitigate risk. With mitigation plans in place for school sporting events, theater and other activities, what is the reason that Prom cannot occur too? There is a plan for graduation and OpGrad and even the Fair is happening this week. Why is the Mingus Administration not willing to make a plan for Prom?
Please reconsider holding a school sanctioned Prom נpreferably before or right after graduation נand if you are unwilling to do so, please publicly communicate your rationale and decision. No communication is not acceptable.
I have also attached an addendum containing the names of Mingus parents and relatives, community members and local business owners that have given their approval and support of this letter requesting a school sanctioned Junior/Senior Prom.
Danica Briseno
Cottonwood
Supporters of this letter (Mingus parents and relatives):
- Chad and Jo Backus, parents of Mingus senior and local business owners
- Scott and Natalie Taylor, parents of Mingus senior and junior and local business owners
- Brandon and Shawna Figy, Mingus coaches and parents of Mingus senior and junior
- Mike and Karen Madore, parents of Mingus senior and sophomore
- Aileen and D.K. Green, parents of Mingus senior
- Joel and Danielle Rosenberg, parents of Mingus senior
- Casey Gilmore, parent of a Mingus senior
- Dan and Alicia Sorensen, parents of Mingus senior
- Nathan and Nicole Welly, parents of Mingus senior and freshman
- Jason and Tracey Finger, parents of Mingus senior
- Laura Meacham, parent of a Mingus senior
- Shiloh and Julie Hoggard, parents of Mingus senior and sophomore and local business owners
- Lourdes Martinez, parent of a Mingus senior
- Shellie Phillips, parent of Mingus sophomore and local business owner
- Stacey Fleming, parent of Mingus junior
- Jack and Katherine Stapleton, parents of Mingus sophomore
- Adam and Sabrina Conway, parents of two Mingus freshman
- Clay and Erin Myers, parents of Mingus junior
- Terra Wagley, parent of Mingus junior and freshman
- Kevin and Sandy Behlow, parents of Mingus junior and freshman
- Paul and Gretchen Groseta, parents of Mingus freshman
- Kylee Bell, parent of a Mingus sophomore and local business owner
- Allen and Monica Ballard, parents of Mingus students
- David and Nicole Gordon, parents of Mingus student and local business owners
- Chris and Katie Moore, parents of Mingus sophomore
- Lewis and Jolin Rice, parents of Mingus students and local business owners
- Jim Mathis, parent of Mingus students
- Will and Tara Trezise, parents of Mingus junior and freshman
- Jessica Zunitch, parent of a Mingus junior
- Rob and Linda Harrison, parents of a Mingus student and local business owners
- Tony and Kristie Tuell, parents of Mingus students
- Debbie Smith, parent of Mingus student
- Rusty and Sarah ODonnal, parents of Mingus students
- Julie Booth, parent of Mingus student
- Kyle and Meghan Lathon, parents of a Mingus freshman and junior
- Eric and Amber Martin, parents of Mingus student
- Jeremy Bach, parent of Mingus student
- Chris and Jenni Rice, parents of Mingus student
- Zahide Betancourt, parent of a Mingus freshman and junior
- Jody Moreno, parent of Mingus student
- Jeff and April Romero, parents of Mingus students
- Dave and Erin Leckington, parents of a Mingus student
- Kody and Laura Robinson, parents of Mingus students and local business owners
- Kamla Delahel, parent of Mingus junior
- Pam Martin, grandmother of Mingus student
- Sandy Owens, parent of Mingus students
- Jenn Choate, parent of a Mingus student
- Robert and Brandee Stokes, parents of a Mingus sophomore and local business owners
- Jamie Havens, parent of a Mingus junior
- Joe and Lacey Edwards, parents of a Mingus freshman
- Charles and Joann Miller, parents of a Mingus freshman and junior
- Esperanza Anguiano, parent of a Mingus junior
- Mark and Lori Ritter, parents of a Mingus student
- Stan and Carol Durkalec, parents of a Mingus student
- Kevin and Melissa Douglas, parents of a Mingus freshman
- Krista Arnaudo, parent of a Mingus sophomore
- Jon and Samantha Carrillo, parents of a Mingus freshman and junior
- Kellie Wilson, parent of a Mingus junior
- Curt Glasmann, parent of a Mingus sophomore
- Mike and Kendra Brogdon, grandparents of two Mingus freshman
- Cris and Jessica Ballesteros, parents of a Mingus freshman
- Shawnna Patton, parent of a Mingus junior
- Pat Smith, grandparent of a Mingus sophomore
- Tony Billau & Lori Maddox, parents of a Mingus freshman
- Erin Hernandez, parent of a Mingus freshman
- Erin Perkins, parent of a Mingus junior
- Crystal Rodriguez, parent of a Mingus sophomore and freshman
- Janna Despain, parent of a Mingus junior
- Katie and Nathan Capp, parents of a Mingus junior and senior
- Desiree Glasmann, parent of a Mingus freshman
- Holly Durkalec, parent of a Mingus junior
Supporters of this letter (community members and local business owners):
- Brandon and Dawn Stockbridge, community members and local business owners
- Kyle and Stacy Larson, community members and local business owners
- Chris and Tandy Taylor, community members and local business owners
- David and Paula Herald, community members and local business owners
- Tucker and Laura Ihrman, community members and local business owners
- Dale Burns, community member and local business owner
- Preston Buckner, community member and local business owner
- Mike Martinez, community member and local business owner
- Chris Fuller, community member and local business owner
- Gregor French, community member and local business owner
- Becky Allred, community member and local business owner
- Justin and Katey Williams, community members
- Betsy Williams, community member
- Sheena Curl, community member
- Brian and Kristy Herman, community members
- Aaron and Katie Anderson, community members
- Louis and Jennifer Newell, community members
- Amyah Lee, community member
- Jeremy and Brenda Doerksen, community members
- Rick and Brenda Stokes, community members
- Eric and Lisa Burke, community members
- Denny and Beth Fangman, community members
- Tate Stearley, community member
- Michelle Sanderson, community member
- Dennis and Stephanie Bloniarz, community members
- Sean Williams, community member
- Nick Williams, community member
- Julia Harp, community member
- Nick Ravetto, community member
- Ashlyn Wingfield, community member
- Phillip and Carrie Reay, community members
- Allan and Cheri Marx, community members
- Arnulfo and Amy Gonzalez, community members
- Mycah Grant, community member
- Mario and Nilza Gonzalez, community members
- Janet Burner, community member
- Rebecca Lovett, community member
- Kelly Steele, community member
- Edgar and Kristen Lucas, community members
- Andrew Kulis, community member
- Lucy Tennihill, community member
- Corby and Natalie Rice, community members
- Kristin Lockhart, community member
- Joanna Schoen, community member
- Todd and Kim Bean, community members
- Brenda McCord, community member
- Angelina Shreve, community member
- Stephanie Foster, community member
- Raina Lee, community member
- Daniel Maldonado, community member
- Mike Stearley, community member
- William and Catherine Capp, community members
- Carla Lane, community member
- Heather Wingfield, community member
- John and Susanne Verretto, community members
