Proms not bombs: Students stage a formal protest Proms not bombs: Students stage a formal protest (May 11, 2005)

A group of Sacred Heart Prep students figured out a way to get more than one use out of their prom dresses while speaking up for their beliefs at the same time.

More than 20 people, mostly students and some faculty members from the Atherton private school, gathered at Menlo Center outside Kepler's Books on Friday to stage a "Prom girls for peace" protest against the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

The attire ranged from beaded gowns to flip-flops, jeans and cocktail dresses, as protesters waved signs reading "Make corsages, not war" and "Send our prom dates home."

Passing drivers honked in support and flashed peace signs, and a few onlookers availed themselves of the punch and brownies on a balloon-festooned folding table.

Cathy Aydelott, the school's director of student activities who was among the formalwear-clad protesters, swayed to the strains of Destiny's Child's "Bootylicious" playing on a boom box.

"I'm just along for the ride, but I think it's a great idea," Ms. Aydelott said.

Kate Bedecarre, a senior at Sacred Heart who organized the event, said the idea sprang from conversations she had with a teacher about media coverage of protests.

"When they show protests, only the freaks get on camera, so we were saying we should dress as nice as we can," explained Kate. "That morphed into ball gowns and then into prom girls."

Or, as she said in her press release, issued through the Peninsula Peace and Justice Center: "Prom Girls know that U.S. occupation in Iraq is wrong and we refuse to act like wallflowers, simply sitting on the gym's bleachers and feeling sorry for ourselves."

Kepler's, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, was a fitting venue, since the store was as a mecca for non-violent anti-war activists in its early days. Clark Kepler said he didn't know about the protest ahead of time, but promised to go out and root them on, which he did.

Sacred Heart Prep's prom is this Saturday.

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