Enjoy the Prom!

And let’s take you to see a movie afterwards!

Yup. I heard about this several weeks ago, and it’s finally made the papers.

A group of Carroll High School parents is outraged that the school’s parent organization is sponsoring a post-prom trip to see the film “The Da Vinci Code” in May.

The parents claim the film’s subject matter is offensive and denigrates the Catholic faith and Jesus Christ. “The Da Vinci Code,” starring Tom Hanks, opens May 19 and is based on the best-selling novel by Dan Brown.

The movie and book fictionally suggest that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, who later bore his child. This information was then covered up by the Catholic Church.

Bob Sedlmeyer, parent of a Carroll senior and associate professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, spoke against the movie choice at the Northwest Allen County Schools board meeting Monday night. Sedlmeyer said he was surprised and shocked when he learned the Carroll PTO was selling tickets to take students to see the movie at the Carmike Cinema on Dupont Road for an 11:55 p.m. May 20 showing.

The rest of the story goes on to say that the kids want to go see it, they’re really excited. Etc. That’s not the point. The point is the school system is sponsoring an activity that promotes a religious perspective. Would they take them to see The Passion of the Christ? Well, obviously, not after prom, but even as a school field trip? Nah. Nor should they.

Not to mention that this film promotes stupidity as a valid historical hypothesis. Which, in the end, is the most problematic element.

{Insert  – well what do you expect – punchline here]