Parents host prom for remote students after district said they weren't allowed at school proms

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Ia. (KMTV) — After being told their children would not be allowed to attend their school’s prom, a group of parents decided to host their own event.

Earlier in the year, several students were told by OPS that they would not able allowed to attend their school's prom, not because they’d failed to attend school, but because they attended remotely.

Tiffany Hobbs-Banks, whose daughter had been attending school remotely, spoke at several OPS School Board of Education meetings, asking the district to reconsider.

“These kids had gone to school for 13 years, and they were devastated last year because they didn’t get to go to prom due to COVID, and to devastate them all over again for this year...," Hobbs-Banks said.

She and several parents and volunteers decided to take on the task of organizing a prom themselves. Through the help of sponsors and community support, they were able to play hosts to around 80 students at the River's Edge Pavilion in Council Bluffs on Saturday night.

Morgan Mullin, a senior who attended school remotely because of she is immunocompromised, helped plan the On the Red Carpet Prom.

“It’s our time to shine, because very little attention has been given to the people who made it possible for COVID to not necessarily spread in schools," she said of her fellow remote learners.

The event included all the classics: dancing, snacks, crowns, and hopefully lots of fun memories.

“I am hoping to see these kids have a great time, have their time on the red carpet," Hobbs-Banks said. "For everything go great and well, and they just go home with their memorable moment.”

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