DANCE MUST GO ON
Dads & daughters defy ed. gender rule
The dances will go on for these defiant dads and daughters despite the Department of Education’s new guidelines over genderspecific events.
“This politically correct stuff has got to stop,” said Thomas Tirotta, 43, who took his 10-yearold daughter, Lila, to the fatherdaughter dance at PS 38 on Staten Island Friday night.
“It’s something that’s been around for a long time,” Tirotta said. “Let the people enjoy it, and if you don’t like it, don’t go.”
The DOE ordered schools to “eliminate” any “gender-based” practices like father-daughter dances last year. The policy update prompted Staten Island’s PS 65 to abruptly scrap its traditional father-daughter dance this month.
The DOE said Friday that schools that want to host parentchild events must ensure they’re gender-neutral and open to all students and caregivers.
But three schools, including PS 38, said they still planned to hold daddy-daughter dances and a fourth has one on its online calendar.
“They’re trying to take away from the dads, from the good fathers . . . It’s all political now,” said Raul Mejia, who added that taking his 5-year-old daughter, Isabelle, to the PS 38 dance was important because “I want to start her young, so she can know how a guy is supposed to treat her.”
The DOE said PS 38 was given guidancence to update the event to welcome ev-everyone.
The Midlandnd Beach el-elementary schoolschool listed the shindigindig as a father-herdaughter dancence on its site and confirmed inn a phone call thathat it was holdingng a father-rdaughter dance. But itit also dubbed the soiree a “Valentine’s Day Dance” in an online calendar, with a photo of a little girl dancing with her feet on top of a man’s shoes.
The enthusiastic dads and daughters knew exactly what they were celebrating Friday night.
“I like that I get to hang out with my dad because usually he comes home very late and I never get to talk to him that much,” said PS 38 student Gabriela, who attended with dad Elvis Lagrange, 45. “It gives you a chance to be with your Luis Rodriguez took his three daughters (below), Lillyanna, Violetlet and Dahlia — all named after flowers. “I get to spend time with my daddy and dance with my baby sisters!” 8-year-old Lillyanna said PS 3 on Staten Island will have a “Father Daughter Dance-Enchanted Ball” on March 3, according to the school. The DOE said this is an off-site, non-school-related event sponsored by the PTA.
PS 209 in Queens also plans a “Father Daughter Dance” for March 8. And PS 83 in The Bronx still has a “Father/Daughter Dance” on its online calendar for June 6, as well as a May 19 “Mother and Son Field Day” and a “Mother/Daughter Spa Night” on April 27.
The DOE said it is consulting with the schools to ensure these events are inclusive if they are held on school grounds.
When the DOE becomes aware of events that don’t follow the gender guidelines, officials work with schools to ensure changes are made “as quickly as possible,” spokeswoman Miranda Barbot said.
“We are sending a reminder to schools about the guidelines that are in place to ensure school-related events are inclusive of all students and families,” she said.