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11 MAR 04: CAN I HAVE THIS DANCE?

So whatever happened to Taylor County High School - where over the years they've not only had "Dueling Banjos," but dueling prom DJ's?

The answer to that question came Wednesday. Taylor County school officials announced the district will sponsor a prom for all the high school students this spring. The school kept its hands off the prom for decades -- thus setting an example for students about proper dancing.

As you may know, Taylor County High School students divided at prom time on their own for 30 years. Some went to a "white prom." Some went to a "black prom." And who knows what would have happened if Marion County hadn't taken all the Hispanic immigrants.

Taylor County tried a unified prom for all students at the Columbus Trade Center two years ago - but the racially separate proms returned last year, and they became a national news story. So it's no wonder the school district took action. Officials don't want Bill O'Reilly organizing a protest march into town.

There's only one catch to The Official Taylor County High School Prom. It'll be held in the school gym, and some students aren't thrilled about that. Maybe this will inspire Red Roof Inn or Super 8 to open a motel in Butler....

(But what did these high school students expect? It's Taylor County - where I suspect there's barely enough money in the budget to buy a crown for the queen.)

One Taylor County High School openly called the gymnasium prom idea a "bunch of cr*p." Several others said it's simply not the same, compared with proms in Fort Valley or Columbus. For one thing, those cities actually have roads where you
can stick your head out of a limousine at more than a 35-mile-per-hour speed limit.

Taylor County Superintendent Wayne Smith admitted Wednesday he's heard some groups of students might not come to The Official High School Prom. He says the district will take no responsibility for what happens elsewhere - say, if some
teens actually get away from teacher chaperones and have fun.

The Taylor County Superintendent says it's time to put the "negative racial publicity" about proms behind. He's more than willing to let the Muscogee County Sheriff's Department deal with that instead.

BLOG UPDATE: Speaking of which, Wednesday's Ledger-Enquirer revealed the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition failed to even pass the first stage in a recall of Sheriff Ralph Johnson. Dozens of signatures to start a petition drive were rejected by the Muscogee County Election Board. Perhaps some people signed under assumed names, to guard against a raid.

All Dr. William Howell of Rainbow/PUSH needed were 100 signatures from registered voters to begin a recall drive. But out of 120 names turned in, only 89 of them were registered to vote four years ago. As close as the 2000 Presidential
election was, you'd think people would remember if they were registered or not.

William Howell picked up another application, and will start from scratch to recall the Muscogee County Sheriff. He says he'll take petitions to "barber shops, beauty shops...." the better to verify those names with DNA checks.

Now a whip-around of other Wednesday news:

+ Char-Broil announced a recall of three models of gas grills, because of problems with temperature gauges. Those gauges are especially important in this part of the country - because during the summer, you're likely to sweat before you even turn the heat on.

+ WLTZ confirmed to the Ledger-Enquirer it plans to keep showing "Martha Stewart Living" until its contract for the show expires in September. Please note the show appears at 12:00 noon - separated from Judge Mathis by a safe two hours.

+ Instant Message to the "Online Income Seminar:" You can come to town next Monday if you wish. But if you insist on spelling the name of this city COLOMBUS in your infomercials, why should I think your approach will make me successful?

COMING FRIDAY: What's in and out for spring.... or should we say "who" is....

© 2003-04 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.