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Lawmakers Come Up With Legislation That Would Allow Shelton Teen To Attend Prom

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Two state lawmakers say they are introducing legislation that would allow a Shelton high school teenager to attend his prom.

School administrators barred James Tate from the June 4 dance after he asked a girl to prom by posting an invitation in big cardboard letters in the side of the school.

WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau reports: Perillo Said Tate's Move Was A Romantic Gesture, Not An Incident Of Property Damage

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Tate's plight has become a cause celebre, and landed him appearances on several national talk shows.

Republican State Reps. Jason Perillo of Shelton and Sean Williams of Waterbury say they are drafting an amendment that would force school officials to give parents an option of community service when a student is barred from a school event for a policy violation within the last month of the school year.

"Give the kid a break," Perillo said. "It was cute. It was far more romantic and creative than anything I could ever come up with."

The school's headmaster has made no public comment about the punishment.

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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