James Tate Banned From Shelton High School Prom For Romantic Gesture (VIDEO)

UPDATE: Despite a worldwide storm of media attention, Shelton High School Headmaster Beth Smith said in a public statement Thursday afternoon that she's sticking to her decision to ban James Tate from the prom, Shelton Patch reports.

"There has been a practice at Shelton High School for many years that students receiving an in-school or out-of-school suspension after April 1 for any reason would not be allowed to attend the prom."

She says the parents and students were made aware of this by daily announcements, posted signs, letters and automated phone messages.

WATCH:

--------------------------

Chivalry may not be dead, but it's sure been squashed at one Connecticut school.

High school senior James Tate made no secret he wanted to go to prom with Sonali Rodrigues; the writing was literally on the wall. And it's for that reason he's now banned from the event.

Tate and his friends snuck onto Shelton High School grounds one night last week to tape up hand-cut cardboard letters in a message that read: "Sonali Rodrigues, will you go to prom with me? HMU (Hit me up) - Tate," WFSB reports.

For his efforts, he was rewarded with a "yes" from Rodrigues, followed by in-school suspension and banishment from prom.

The AP scholar and golf team member tells NBC Connecticut he's remorseful, but all he wanted to do was ask Rodrigues in a creative way:

"I'm a jerk, you know, because I was telling her for the longest time I was going to go with her. But you know, I was waiting for a special time, a special way to ask her. And I did that and this is what happened."

The friends who helped him tape up the letters are also banned from the prom. WFSB reports that Shelton Superintendent Freeman Burr responded in a written statement Wednesday:

"I am aware of the local, state and national media attention surrounding the situation and I have no further comments regarding the matter at this time."

Tate says headmaster Dr. Beth Smith issued the punishment because he trespassed onto school property and that his actions posed a safety risk, according to Shelton Patch:

"It's not like we broke into the school or anything, though," Tate said. "And I wore a helmet and brought friends along to hold the ladder and hand me the letters with tape on them."

People from all over are supporting him on Twitter with the hashtag #TeamTate, and on a Facebook page, which had more than 38,000 "likes" as of Wednesday at 6 p.m. EST.

WATCH:

View more videos at: http://www.nbcconnecticut.com.

What do you think of the school's decision? Weigh in below.

Quick Poll

Should James Tate be able to go to prom?

Yes, it was an innocent stunt!

No, he broke the rules!

Share your vote on Facebook so your friends can take this poll

Comments

[Wuggly Ump]

12:54 PM on 05/15/2011

It's not painted on the wall! His punishment should've been after she accepts to take it down. I would understand if actual damage was done to the building. The administrator needs a life.

[Allison Cooper]

11:26 AM on 05/14/2011

I think the punishment is way to severe. I understand the school's policy of suspension and senior activities. I think every school has them. I live in Shelton now, but I grew up in Trumbull and went to Trumbull High and graduated 15 years ago. Before schools became prisons. I think that this act was sweet and innocent. This is very destructive to an AP student who is a good kid and probably never been in trouble before in his life. He should have gotten a weeks worth of detention max. This punishment is totally overreacting to what was done. In college, my boyfriend, turned husband, sent me a very sweet card for Valentine's Day, left it at the door so when I woke in the morning it was the first thing I saw. At the end of the message it said, look outside your window. In the snow, he wrote "I love you" in letters big enough that spanned the entire dorm. It was the most romantic gesture. Everyone came up to me that day and wanted to know if that was for me. That was better than any gift could ever be.

[whowhatwhywherewhen]

08:20 AM on 05/14/2011

As a Connecticut resident, I cannot believe this story is still going on. Look, I feel bad for the kid, but his good intentions were executed wrong. He could've put a sign up in this girls front lawn or something else instead of going on school grounds in the middle of the night.

Punishment like this isn't new. 25 years ago, when I was in school, we had warnings out like this too that if we did whatever, we would be banned from senior trip, prom, graduation, etc. Detention, suspension, community service as punishment is a "who cares" to a high school senior....getting banned from prom or graduation is a big deal. So, I'm with the school on this one.

Again, feel sorry for the kid.....but, c'mon.

[Laurel Henry]

11:55 PM on 05/13/2011

The kid needs to be cut a break this time.What he did was not totally destructive..it is tape...He needs to do 100 hours of community service, take the girl to prom and get on with his life.

[notyouraveragebear]

08:59 PM on 05/13/2011

So instead of making this a LEARNING experience...

and instead of making this a TEACHING experience,

some undereducated-on-life ADMINISTRATOR makes it ALL about punishment. The student should be given a task of 100 hours of community service, of cleaning the place where the prom is to be held, of talking to all grades about following the rules, etc etc.

But instead, the ADMINISTRATOR refuses to THINK or LOOK FORWARD or TEACH - just punish.

Beyond sad.... both for the students AND for the whole school system.

[Kay1908]

04:02 AM on 05/15/2011

You are obviously very wise. I totally agree.

[mccarthy13]

12:09 PM on 05/17/2011

Totally agree - they could've made something good out of this. Now both the student and the administrator will always be attached to this story.

[Braves71]

07:07 PM on 05/13/2011

This school needs a new 'headmaster' (what's with that? 'Principal' is not good enough for her?). Yes, rules are rules, but they are not cut in granite for eternity. You made the rules, change 'em when they are rigid and idiotic. Even the Constitution can be amended. Typical school admin., can't buy paper clips without a committee meeting and motion or a mandate.
The academic world should always be thrilled to have students like Tate. In this day, with all the problems schools and families face, this woman is punishing an AP student who had nothing more than a romantic streak? Who didn't damage ANY property? School service couldn't have been a substitute? Can anyone THINK?
Very strange that students enrolled in a school can trespass their own school grounds?
I went to a top LI,NY high school and we were never locked out of our own school's grounds.
Is she running a prison or a place of higher learning, creativity, and reason for young people?
I think we know the answer to that question.

[am10]

08:57 PM on 05/13/2011

She doesn't make up the title and she only enforce policies dictated by the board of ed which YOU the taxpayer elect.

[notyouraveragebear]

09:00 PM on 05/13/2011

She is gutless - she could very easily go before the board and make a recommendation. Guess she is just too lazy.

[Mary Ann West]

06:25 PM on 05/13/2011

Connecticut radio station WEBE-108 is offering James Tate and his date Sonali Rodriguez a complete package including: limo, dinner, tux, flowers, etc... for an alternative Prom, they just have to call 1-800-webe108 to accept the offer, as the DJ said, "Anything for puppy love"

[am10]

08:58 PM on 05/13/2011

He has stated that he won't go to an alternative prom and asked that nobody donate to it.

[TheGripester]

05:24 PM on 05/13/2011

I still think that the students should stage a massive walk-out of this prom and hold their own prom in which James and Sonali are the guests of honor.

Either that, or that they should vote them prom king and queen - that would really steam the admins.

[Mars22]

04:35 PM on 05/13/2011

He was suspended for taping up cardboard letters? Wow. It seems as though in this day and age the kids who replaced the state flag with a gay pride flag and who put soap in the air conditioning unit at my high school would be arrested on the spot.

[Kmuzu]

04:15 PM on 05/13/2011

All original thought and creativity must be crushed without mercy! We have announced that any deviation from the prescribed behavior shall be smashed .. you will comply .. you will comply

[beauxx]

04:11 PM on 05/13/2011

Why have rules if you don't enforce them? He broke the rules.

If you don't like the rules as written, then do something to change them for future incidents.

[Robert SF]

05:33 PM on 05/13/2011

But it's not clear that putting up the letters was "breaking the rules."

[notyouraveragebear]

09:01 PM on 05/13/2011

It is a school - they aren't TEACHING anything by ONLY considering a punishment.

[Zach Mayo]

02:20 PM on 05/13/2011

It's a Draconian response!

He made such nice letters and they used harmless tape f'crissakes!

The school is stuck in a quandry; for as soon as they bend the rules for someone and then treat another student differently, you know the black kid will get screwed so Al Sharpton, blah, blah, blah; maybe that's why the rule is Draconian, to avoid a racial discrimination lawsuit in the future!

[billjmcdaniel]

03:36 PM on 05/13/2011

Wow, way to drag race into something that could've done just fine without it being mentioned, considering the multi-racial aspect of the two people who want to go to prom.

The non-veiled racist way to think about it would be that as soon as they bend the rules for this then the next year some guy tries to put a sign across the entire school grounds, or parachute in, or hire the blue angels, etc. etc.

Its to keep kids from wanting to one up each other each year, like how tp'ing homes can get out of control year after year as kids go for the "bigger score"

[am10]

05:23 PM on 05/13/2011

Except that he may have a point. Some would dray special needs status into it also. Unfortunately, schools cater to the lowest common denominator when it comes to making rules and discretion is hardly allowed.

[B Kleitz]

01:43 PM on 05/13/2011

Now I hope this kids parents and the parents of all involved in this "banning" from the Prom should now SUE THE SCHOOL for emotional distress and monetary loss from the cost of all the Prom supplies that will now be wasted...
Stupid Head MISTRESS(she's a woman after all)...
"if something had gone wrong the parents would have sued the school"....well, something HAS gone wrong, so yes, they should sue this woman right out of a job.

[Gonzo36]

11:55 AM on 05/13/2011

In college my brother hung a sign in the main hallway asking my now sister-in-law if she would go on a date with my brother. They now have two kids.

[am10]

12:27 PM on 05/13/2011

Couldn't ask her in person? Introvert. Couldn't keep it private: Showboater

[Gonzo36]

02:25 PM on 05/13/2011

Oh, dont get me wrong- my brother is a HUGE showboater. But I also think his little stunt was harmless- just like the guy in the article.

[baybeebluz]

11:46 AM on 05/13/2011

They are wasting their time on this? No wonder schools are in trouble. What they should do is take up a collection to move the prom to a different location. It would be great if all of the students skipped the school sponsored event.