By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Unfortunately, there will be no “last dance” for Union City High School juniors and seniors this year.
Prom, which had already been rescheduled once due to the COVID-19 outbreak, has been canceled due to social distancing guidelines that are expected to remain in place across Tennessee well into the summer.
The annual formal dance – originally slated for April 25 – had been pushed back to June 20 in a last-ditch attempt to hold the final big social event of every school year.
And though some regulations have been relaxed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee as the country looks to gradually “reopen” in the aftermath of the global pandemic, it was determined by UCSS administration that having such an event and adhering to many of those guidelines was not possible.
“It’s a tough call, but – with the directive from the governor to have six feet of space between individuals – it’d be impossible to put as many students as we’d have coming to prom in one venue and have that type of distance between them,” Union City High School Principal Jacob Cross said. “It’s a night built largely around dancing and photo-taking and socializing, and realistically, that type of distancing as well as trying to make sure everything is regularly sanitized is impossible.
“Making the decision now, though, is the right thing to do. Planning for such an event is a huge undertaking, not only from our perspective in the school business, but also for our parents and students. It could’ve been a much greater expense for all involved if we waited until closer to the date and then had to cancel.
“I feel as if we waited as long as we could’ve (to make a decision), and it’s one I wish we didn’t have to make. But we do.”
Cross and the remainder of the UC Schools staff successfully managed to hold the Class of 2020 graduation ceremonies as originally scheduled last weekend, drawing widespread praise and appreciation for doing so while observing the distancing rules.
“That was a huge undertaking, but that was also outdoors in an open space,” the UCHS administrator said. “Prom would be an entirely different situation with the close quarters of the people in attendance.”
Juniors and seniors will be notified of the decision via an email from Union City High School Guidance Counselor Susan Searcy.