McKinney North High School students boycott Winter Ball

by Teresa Gubbins

MCKINNEY — Traumatized by scandal and horrified by a ban on "dirty dancing," less than 250 students attended McKinney North High School's annual Winter Ball on Saturday at Southfork Ranch, about a third of the usual turnout.

The shortfall not only put another dent in the school's beleaguered psyche, it sent the student council $8,000 into the hole.

The Ball, which usually attracts 600 to 700 students, costs $16,000 to put on, according to the DMN. With tickets priced at $35 each, the break-even point would be 450 attendees.

Students expressed disenchantment with both the school's handling of the recent cheerleading squad scandal, and with what appeared to be an across-the-board kibosh by school officials on anything remotely resembling fun. Students were required to sign a contract that banned drugs, alcohol, firearms, video cameras, and "dirty dancing", defined as back-to-front dancing.