Prom Queen of 2016 is the Easter Bunny.

Putting the Easter Bunny with prom seems misplaced, which is why some people are concerned about the date of prom being so close to Easter this year.

Most people will be getting down on the dance floor at prom, and the next day they’ll be getting down for the Lord. While some complain about prom being the day before Easter, others could care less. There’s nothing wrong with the date of prom, but using it as an excuse to skip church is unacceptable.

There have been some concerns about prom being so close to Easter, and whether or not that’ll affect the students. In my opinion if some of the students were planning on going to church then they’ll still go, but most of them weren’t planning on it anyways because they would rather go to an after party than go home and get rest for service the next morning. The administration can’t do anything about the date. Every year prom has been on the last weekend of March and since Easter is known as a “moveable feast” because it’s the only holiday that doesn’t fall on a set date, and it just happens that this year it falls on the last weekend of March.

While parents and students have made complaints about the date, those who plan on partying after the dance have made it clear that they aren’t concerned and it doesn’t affect them. Most of the student body doesn’t attend church on a regular basis anyways, so when having to make the choice of church or an after party they aren’t bothered by having to miss church for a party.  Cameron Dossey, senior, admittedly said, “I think having prom before Easter is comical because all these poor kids that had the hopes of going out after prom aren’t going to because their parents who think we are all angels will expect them home for church. Basically a bunch of kids are going to get in trouble when coming home the next morning in the wrong state of mind or not go at all and be resentful of prom altogether. Either way it doesn’t concern me because my parents know I won’t be attending church the next morning.”

Other students think that church is still important whether or not prom is the day before. “I think it’s still going to be fun and I’ll still be able to make my church service with my family. I don’t feel like it’s as big of a deal as other people do and my parents don’t mind. I don’t think administration could do anything about it anyways. I think the people who want to go to church the next morning will go no matter what. Some people wouldn’t have gone anyways, so it really just depends on the person,” said junior Emma Pressley. While I agree with Presley, I still don’t think prom or an after party is an excuse to miss church. Even though most students weren’t planning on going to church the next morning anyways, those who were and those whose parents are shouldn’t miss church because they are tired from the night before. In my opinion they’ve known Easter is the next day and they shouldn’t of put a party before the Lord. Easter is the most important holiday and it’s the one Sunday nobody should miss church, because Easter is the day we celebrate Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

“I think that prom night is a wonderful night, because sometimes it’s the person’s first big night out. Prom night can be a wonderful memory of your high school years, so it’s pretty important. If there is another weekend other than Easter weekend, then that’ll be ideal but if not then it’s a matter of priorities. I would ask myself two questions. One Easter is the greatest celebration of Christian faith. Paul said that if Jesus Christ has not been resurrected then the Christian faith is worthless and futile (1 Corinthians 15:14-17). If you are a Christian then it would be in your heart to go and celebrate the fact that Jesus defeated death to save your life. Are you a Christian or are you not one? The second question would be if you are a Christian then is your relationship with partying more important to you than the only relationship that will ever matter during your time on planet Earth? Your relationship with Jesus is the only way to seal your salvation, meaning if you have a relationship with Christ you will never die, just like him. If you are reading this article go to prom, go home early, wake up, get ready, and go celebrate the fact that someone loved you enough to hang on the cross and die for you so that you could have cool things to do like prom,” said Krista Harper, youth pastor at Evangel World Prayer Center. There’s a difference between saying you are a Christian and actually being a Christian. A true Christian would rather praise the Lord than staying out all night partying.