GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — School officials have decided to relocate a Gwinnett County high school’s prom from Stone Mountain after concerns about a white supremacist rally scheduled for the same day.
The Peachtree Ridge high school prom was originally scheduled for April 23 at the Evergreen Mariott Resort at Stone Mountain.
A white supremacist group has a rally scheduled for the same day on the opposite end of the park.
Because it’s a public park, Stone Mountain says it has no choice but to allow the rally, but park police are bringing in extra security to make sure there are no problems.
School officials said the rally would have concluded two hours before the prom started.
Peachtree Ridge principal, Jeff Mathews, sent a note home to parents saying that they have relocated the prom to the Westin Buckhead. It will still be held on the same date.
The letter said in part: “While we had been reassured that our prom and the other event would not overlap, we listened and understood the concerns raised by our community members and continued to look for alternative options. The voice of the Peachtree Ridge family has helped us in successfully relocating our students’ event.”
School officials said proms are scheduled for locations years in advance, so there was no way for them to anticipate the rally.