Once barred from prom, Conn. student gets to go

  Eyewitness NewsSHELTON, Conn. -- It was this year's best known prom in Connecticut and a student forbidden from attending finally got to go.

Shelton High School senior James Tate and his date, Sonali Rodriges, attended the prom Saturday, nearly a month after he was prohibited for posting his invitation to Rodrigues in 12-inch cardboard letters on the school wall.

School officials said his invitation was a safety risk and suspended him for a day and barred him from the prom. Headmaster Beth Smith later reversed the decision, acknowledging the international attention the case received.

Dressed in a three-piece, black tuxedo and a purple flower in his jacket pocket, Tate arrived at a pre-prom photo event followed by television cameras.

Rodrigues, dressed in a lavender prom dress, said her date was funny and "pretty cute."

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Conn. mayor sides with student barred from prom

  Eyewitness NewsSHELTON, Conn. -- Officials in a Connecticut town want a high school headmaster to take a second look at the case of a senior who asked a girl to the prom by taping a message to the front of the school and then was barred from attending.

James Tate's note read in big cardboard letters, "Sonali Rodrigues, Will you go to the prom with me? HMU -Tate." HMU means hit me up, or call me.

Rodrigues said yes. But Tate was given a one-day suspension and is barred from the Shelton High School prom June 4.

Mayor Mark Lauretti on Wednesday said the case may need another look. Alderman Jack Finn says Tate did nothing wrong.

School headmaster Beth Smith hasn't commented. School Superintendent Freeman Burr says he's aware of the national attention the case is getting.

Meantime, Tate's friends are helping to organize an alternative prom location so that Tate and Rodrigues can still go together.

There has been an outpouring of support on Twitter and Facebook. Many companies have offered freebies to help make this prom happen free of charge for the students.

The Facebook group reports that Tate says that he will be appearing on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Wednesday night.

On Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/newsheltonprom

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Prom proposal gets Shelton boy barred from dance

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsSHELTON, Conn. (WABC) -- A Shelton High School senior has been barred from attending the school's prom because of the method he chose to ask out his date.

The young couple stood in front of their high school to take the prom picture they won't be able to take on June 4th.

James Tate will not be able to attend his senior dance. His crime is in the way he asked his date.

"I feel like I did it to make her feel special and I accomplished that," Tate said.

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James hand-cut 45-letters out of cardboard and taped them to the front of the Shelton High School building spelling out: "Sonali Rodrigues, will you go to prom with me? HMU - Tate"

HMU stands for "hit me up".

It was a huge hit.

"I thought it was cute, I don't know, I liked it, and I said 'Yes'," Rodrigues said.

Unfortunately, the school, Shelton High in Connecticut said "No way".

As punishment, James was slapped with a 1-day suspension and barred from attending the prom.

Two of his friends who helped him tape up the letters have also been suspended and banned from the prom.

Never did James imagine that the letters he taped up would turn into scarlet letters.

"I think it was just really cute and romantic and he shouldn't get in trouble for it," a fellow female student said.

"It's probably the most creative idea I've seen," said another male student.

Eyewitness News has not yet received a comment from the school.

Many other students say that they are afraid to stand up for James because they do not want to get banned from the prom too.

"I don't want to say anything and get myself in trouble," Rodrigues said.

"I thought it was innocent all along," Tate said.

James Tate, who is an AP scholar and athlete, said that he will dress up on June 4th, take formal photos with his friend Sonali, and then wait for the prom to end and then join his friends at the after parties.

Tate says he was told that posting the message constituted trespassing and posed a safety risk.

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