Communications High School (CHS) will hold its annual prom at Trump National Golf Course in Colts Neck, N.J. this spring on May 16. Due to the left-leaning nature of CHS’s student body, this decision is a controversial one. Many students question whether they could separate the place from the person.
Even so, when the senior council was making their decision, they decided to overlook this topic of debate. According to senior class council member Molly McCarthy of Manasquan, they chose the venue for its affordable price.
“It’s less of a political statement and more of the fact that we want a prom that is affordable for everyone,” McCarthy said. “I feel like it doesn’t define our political beliefs.”
McCarthy doesn’t think that students have expressed many complaints about the venue.
“I know there have been some parental issues, but overall I feel [that] the students are all pretty comfortable.”
While the council has not seemed to receive much pushback on their choice, not all students are in favor of this decision. Junior Hayley Rydell of Middletown doesn’t believe it’s the right place for CHS prom.
“It is a little bit weird since our school has a lot of people who don’t align with Trump’s beliefs, but we’ve had the prom there for a couple years now,” Rydell said.
Some students understand finances being an essential element in choosing a venue, but feel they cannot separate Trump National Golf Course from the president himself. Senior Isabela Delgado of Eatontown is one who does not want to support President Trump by paying for prom at his venue.
“At first I didn’t think much of it because it’s a prom at the end of the day and it’s just a venue,” Delgado said. “But [since] I started getting a lot more into politics, I don’t feel as comfortable that we have to spend our money there, supporting someone as terrible as he is.”
On the opposite end of the spectrum, some students are ecstatic for prom to be held at this venue.
When asked his opinion on the venue, sophomore Todd Edison of Ocean Township said, “I think that’s a fire idea. That’s a nice place to have an event.”
He believes that the conflicting political affiliations of the Trump National Golf Course and Communications High School were not a concern.
“It has nothing to do with anything besides that it’s a nice place to have a prom.”
Despite discourse over the venue, many students are excited for the event either way.
Junior Jenna Lynch of Neptune said, “The venue doesn’t bother me much, I’m just excited to have a great time with all my friends.”
