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Local News

Friday, May 08, 2009

Don't go to prom, school tells teen
By MARY KATE MALONE

Staff Writer

A senior at Heritage Christian School will be suspended Monday for attending Findlay High School's prom because the event involves dancing and rock music.

A Heritage School committee decided Wednesday that Tyler Frost, 17, will be suspended if he attends Saturday's dance because the school's policy forbids dancing, rock music, hand holding and kissing.

Frost plans to attend prom anyway with his girlfriend, a senior at Findlay High.

He would have received his diploma May 24 from the 84-student fundamentalist Baptist school at 2000 Broad Ave. in Findlay.

But Frost will now be suspended from classes and receive an “incomplete” on remaining assignments, according to Principal Tim England.

He will not be permitted to attend any graduation ceremonies with his class of four students, but will receive his diploma once he completes his final exams.

If Frost “is involved with alcohol or sex” at the prom, he will be expelled from Heritage, England said.

Frost's stepfather, Stephan Johnson, said he plans to file a lawsuit against the school.

Frost has attended Heritage Christian, a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church, since kindergarten.

Other than a detention in seventh grade, Frost has never had disciplinary problems, he said.

“He deserves to wear that cap and gown,” Johnson said.

According to the school handbook, rock music “is part of the counterculture which seeks to implant seeds of rebellion in young people's hearts and minds.”

The school also forbids physical contact between girls and boys in grades 7-12.

Johnson believes those rules should not, and do not, apply outside the classroom. He said many students and their parents do not know the scope of the handbook's rules.

“How many people at that school know that when country music comes on, their kid could be expelled? Ninety percent of the school could be expelled,” Johnson said.

England said Frost agreed to the school's rules when he signed a statement of cooperation at the beginning of the school year.

“Our stand on this issue should be of no surprise to the student or his parents,” England said in a statement. “For the parents to claim any injustice regarding this issue is at best forgetful and at worst disingenuous. It is our hope that the student and his parents will abide by the policies they have already agreed to.”

England said he has never known a Heritage Christian student to attend Findlay's prom. He has been principal for 13 years.

Findlay High School requires students attending prom from other schools to get a signature from their principal.

England signed the form for Frost, but told him there would be “consequences” if he attended the dance, Frost said.

“I expected a short lecture about making the right decisions and not doing something stupid,” Frost said. “I thought I would get his signature and that would be the end.”

Instead, England took the issue to the School Committee, made up of church members, where they decided to suspend Frost.

“In life, we constantly make decisions whether we are going to please self or please God. (Frost) chose one path, and the School Committee chose the other,” England said.

Frost said he has never been to a dance before.

Craig Kupferberg, principal of Findlay High School, said he respects, but does not agree with, Heritage Christian School's view of prom activities.

“I don't see (dancing and rock music) as immoral acts,” Kupferberg said.

Malone: 419-427-8417,

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858 Comments (86 pages)

Latest comments listed first.
Rachel wrote:
Prom
“ All this talk about Heritage Christian and after school hours makes me want to play devil's advodcate for a moment. The prom was after school hours, so why should the public school require a permission form for non-students? I have been both a student and a teacher in public and Christian schools, and I know that there are rules that the institutions have that apply to activities after school hours. It's sad that in our day and age people cannot use common sense in understanding the rules of our schools- during or after hours- and every minute detail must be spelled out word for word. Tyler made his choice. He admits that he willfully chose to disobey the rules, therefore, he chose to suffer the consequences that he knew were a possibility. ”
Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:09:40 PM
Jessica York wrote:
Re: Did he break the rules?
“ How did Tyler break the rules when the dance was NOT on school property or was NOT during school hours? Schools irregardless CANNOT dictate what students/staff/parents do outside of school hours or even better yet, off school grounds. I am pretty sure that there are plenty of staff/parents that go to movies, walk around public during the summer when there are plenty of girls and even guys in shorts, dresses, swimsuits, etc... but you don't see them getting punished for doing things that are part of LIFE. So again I would really like to know how ANY rules were broken? I look at this way, if and I mean IF there were any rules broken they were broken by Mr. England himself when he signed the form for Tyler to attend the prom. End of story. If he did not sign the form stating that he was in good standing, then non of this b.s. would of started. People need to wake up and smell the coffee and realize that schools CANNOT control what anyone does outside of school hours. ”
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 12:06:36 AM
Joe wrote:
Did he break the rules
“ If he broke the rules he should be punished. Simple. ”
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 9:09:43 PM
Barbara wrote:
Tyler Frost Suspension
“ Isn't Principle England's signature on the form from Findlay High School a way of condoning Tyler's attendance at the Findlay Prom? If Mr. England believes that Tyler and his parents should "abide by the policies they have already agreed to" he should have never signed the form.

It is a shame that Mr. England and his school does not have enough faith in their students to trust that they will "do the right thing" when confronted with activities or the like that test their teachings. ”
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 4:44:58 PM
P. wrote:
teen suspended for going to prom
“ It's like Footloose all over again. There is nothing wrong with going to a dance and having something to eat. ”
Saturday, May 16, 2009 7:05:00 PM
AA wrote:
AA
“ It is unbelievable that a boy's plight could be sabotaged by his troubled stepfather's actions. The fact that everyone is now focus on Steve Johnson, an adult who clearly needs mental and behavior help, instead on the issue at hand. HCS has overstepped its boundaries and power.

I have known the step father since he was a child in an extreme dysfunctional family. His bizarre behavior stems from not being taught how to successfully deal with adverse experiences. However, the media is capitalizing on a man who should be kept out of the spotlight.

Has anyone thought to focus on the school? I believe the family should sue HCS; it is their legal right as well as their moral obligation. How dare HCS go beyond its doors to control the students! The punishment does not even fit the crime! It sounds like the school has something against the student or his family and are trying they don't have any other way of getting their revenge.
”
Friday, May 15, 2009 1:05:25 PM
A Family from Madison, AL wrote:
Tyler Frost
“ To Naomi: Thank you very much for helping to stand up for the standards of a righteous, holy, Creator-God. I pray that you will be faithful in your Christian life inspite of whatever difficulties may come your way. Our family also wants to be able to answer to God based on the standards that He has given, because we know that our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) and that ONLY the sacrifice that He has provided through His Son, Jesus Christ will cover all of our sins because He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life." (John 14:6) ”
Friday, May 15, 2009 12:37:52 PM
Naomi wrote:
TRUTH
“ So many people on here are saying "I believe" or "I think" what makes one persons opinion better than another's??? Why is your opinion better than Frost's?? Or England's?? In the end EVERYONE WILL give an account based on only ONE standard. Will you measure up??? ”
Thursday, May 14, 2009 3:23:26 PM
Naomi wrote:
Understanding
“ I would say to Anne that you are not applying the whole of Scripture. "My body is my own and so is my spirit." Perhaps that is true for you-- if so it is only because you are not a child of God. If Tyler truly is a follower of Christ than the Scriptures tell us in I Cor. 6:19-20 "What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? And you are not your own, for you are bought[redeemed] with a price[the blood of Christ]: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's." THIS is Christ's message to His followers. Scripture also says that fornicators and adulterers have no place in the kingdom of God. Maybe you did have your share of sex. By whose standard is that ok? In the end of time whose standard will matter?? Every human has a different standard. Just because it "worked for you" does not make it right. Will God forgive and redeem you if you repent?? ABSOLUTELY!! His love is greater than ALL or ANY sin, but that does not negate the sin. Yes, God loved the world, but that love gives us commands to obey. Just as any parent would tell his child not to play with fire lest he get burned, so God, as our Creator, gives us rules because He loves us. If you are going to share God's message, than please do so as HE gives it, not as you think it to be. One day everyone will stand before Him and give account and they must do so according to His standards and not their own. You are right, Christ loves us no matter what, but how can one call himself a Christian and live for the sin Christ died for??
Putting this aside, was not Tyler properly dealt with?? Would it not be lawful for a money lender to require payment from the one who promised it to him?? Sure it would! And so Tyler agreed to abide by the school rules and he broke that agreement. Is there really a difference? Whether or not justice is done here on earth, one day Tyler will answer to the Lord for the choices he made, as will each of us, myself included. I want to answer having made my choices based on the standards given to me by the One who will judge me! In the end my righteousness is not enough, but because Christ's blood has been imputed on my behalf I will stand complete in the righteousness of Christ. Tyler will also stand in Christ's righteousness, with all his sins forgiven IF he repents of his way and accepts Christ. Justice will be done! :) ”
Thursday, May 14, 2009 3:01:26 PM
martin wrote:
wine
“ BTW steve, the wine was grape juice. unfermented! ”
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 11:44:21 AM
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