WEST HAVEN, Utah — A Utah mom is upset about a school policy in which sixth-grade girls can’t say “no” when boys ask them to dance.

The mom told KSTU that she thinks it sends the wrong message to the young students.

When Natalie Richard’s sixth-grade daughter told her she couldn’t say no if a boy asked her to dance at Kanesville Elementary’s Valentine’s Day dance, she didn’t believe it at first.

So she took her concerns to the school principal who told her that the dance has been set up this way for a long time and they’ve never had any concerns before.

Lane Findlay with the Weber School District confirms it’s a rule, but it’s meant to teach students how to be inclusive.

Richard says forcing students not to say no teaches them the wrong lesson.

“Sends a bad message to girls that girls have to say yes,” Richard said. “Sends a bad message to boys that girls will – can’t say no.”

Prior to the dance, which is voluntary, students are told to fill out a card, selecting five people they want to dance with.

The administration says if there’s someone on the card you feel uncomfortable with, the student is encouraged to speak up.

“If there is an issue, if there are students that are uncomfortable or have a problem with another student, I mean that`s certainly something that can be addressed with that student and parents,” Findlay said.

But Richard says rejection is part of life and at the end of the day, this policy is sending impressionable children the wrong message.WHAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON: 

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