A Heritage Christian senior attended a "great" Findlay High School prom despite warnings from his fundamentalist Baptist school that he would be suspended for doing so.
Tyler Frost, 17, danced and held hands with his girlfriend at the prom, attended by about 800 high school students, officials said.
Frost's grandmother, Karen Frost, who teaches at Heritage Christian, said she had been praying for her grandson to "make the right decision."
But Frost said he never wavered on attending the dance with his Findlay High School girlfriend, even though doing so violated Heritage Christian rules that forbid dancing, hand holding and rock music.
Frost is suspended from the 84-student school at 2000 Broad Ave. beginning today, according to a letter sent to Frost's mother from Tim England, principal at Heritage. Frost has attended the school since kindergarten.
Frost will receive an "incomplete" on remaining assignments and will be banned from graduation ceremonies, according to England. He will receive his diploma after completing his final exams, England said.
Frost's father, Stephan Johnson, said he plans to file a lawsuit against Heritage Christian because the suspension is unfair and unwarranted, he said.
Johnson and Frost are flying to New York City tonight to appear on CBS' The Early Show Tuesday morning, Johnson said. They were also asked to appear on Inside Edition and ABC's Primetime, Johnson said.
Meanwhile, KISS FM 92.5 from Toledo will be broadcasting its morning show live from near Heritage Christian today starting at 6 a.m. Frost and Johnson will likely make an appearance at the broadcast, Johnson said.
"But Tyler is not going to be there protesting against the school or anything like that," Johnson said. "I don't think that's right."
The story of Frost's decision to attend the dance was on major news Web sites Friday, including Fox News, Yahoo and AOL News.
Frost said he has received Facebook and e-mail messages from people all over the United States and as far away as the Philippines. Some are lauding Frost for attending prom in spite of the school's strict policy, while others say he should follow rules he agreed to at the beginning of the school year.
On Friday Frost was interviewed by television stations in Toledo and Cleveland. He was also greeted by a throng of news reporters as he walked into the prom.
Except for three network camera crews, Findlay's prom was "went well," said Craig Kupferberg, Findlay High School principal.
"It was great," he said.
Kupferberg allowed media access inside the union before the start of the dance, but asked that they remain outside once students began to arrive. "This is a prom for our high school juniors and seniors, and we are going to respect that," he said.
England did not return phone calls Sunday asking if he would uphold Frost's suspension.
In a statement on the school's Web site, England quoted Bible verses to defend the school's decision.
"Should a Christian place themselves at an event where young ladies will have low cut dresses and be dancing in them? Isn't it contrary to the example of Joseph and the (Bible) verses I have stated?" England wrote.
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