BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Several parents with students at Cane Bay High School are upset after a limited number of tickets were sold for next Saturday’s homecoming dance, which means their children would not be able to attend.
Parents who reached out to News 2 this week said the homecoming dance will be held in the commons area of Cane Bay High School, which can accommodate 700 students. But they said the problem is the school has more than 2,000 students.
Brandi Norwood’s daughter is a junior at the high school. And because she’s on the cheer team, Norwood said she’s expected to participate in all of the homecoming events next week.
“It feels defeating to them. They’re encouraged by staff and admin to come together, to be involved in school spirit—that’s how you build community, but then for them to be told, ‘There’s not enough room. You can’t go.’”
Except for the main event – next Saturday’s homecoming dance – because she did not purchase a ticket in time.
“I was given a link to buy tickets, and I wasn’t in a hurry. I got off of work the next day and attempted to buy tickets and it was sold out,” said Norwood.
Norwood said the dance is typically held in the school’s commons area and the 700-ticket cap is nothing new. But she said she’s never had an issue with purchasing tickets for her two older daughters in the past.
“We were told that it was first-come, first-serve and that the tickets were sold within a day, and the link had been posted the day before in the middle of the day,” Norwood explained.
She said there was not adequate communication from the school prior to that link being sent out; however, another parent says there was.
“It was put out that there were a limited amount of tickets, get your tickets early. That was put out,” said Kristin Tanner, whose child also attends Cane Bay High School.
Norwood claims one reason tickets may have gone quickly is because they were distributed differently than in previous years.
“Sophomores and freshmen were allowed to buy tickets, which in the past as far as I understand, seniors and juniors were given preference and then so on and so forth,” she said.
Norwood said she, along with many other parents, is simply disappointed.
“I’ve heard from a lot of other parents who have seniors who have bought dresses and have been preparing and can’t go to the dance,” she said.
Other parents say they cannot sympathize with those who bought clothes before buying a ticket to the dance.
“You put the cart before the horse. That’s what I say to that,” Tanner said.
News 2 reached out to the Berkeley County School District and received the following statement:
“Tickets to the Cane Bay High School Homecoming Dance were made available to all students in a fair and consistent manner. While all schools would love the opportunity to welcome the entire school population to an event held in one location of the school, that is not possible due to fire codes and capacity restriction of rooms and spaces,” said Katie Tanner, Chief Communications & Engagement Officer, BCSD.
