An alumni event at a Dallas high school campus Sunday featured adult products normally unwelcome at school and it has parents and school trustees upset.
A Dallas Independent School District statement said the organizer never had approval to stage any event at Lincoln High School.
But somehow, an alumni football game and vendor sale was conducted at the campus anyway without authorization.
The video that circulated on social media shows an array of products including adult toys for women.
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Lincoln graduate Cinthy Wheat was offended.
“They were explicit. I've never even seen them as an adult. So, for me to see them, I was like 'no,'” she said. “It was just wrong. You can’t have that there.”
Wheat complained on social media and one of the vendors replied.
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April Roache sold hookah pipes at the event.
Roache said it was an event for adults, not children and it was very popular. Roache said she made three times what she paid to be there.
“It was very positive. Everyone supported one another, so I don't understand why anybody would have anything to say,” Roache said.
Dallas ISD trustees who’ve seen the video are unhappy about it. Lincoln High School is in the district of Trustee Justin Henry who was out of town Thursday. Henry told NBC 5 by phone that he spoke with Trustee Maxie Johnson and they share the same opinions of the video they have seen.
“This should not happen at any school,” Johnson said. “School is for kids and for the community. There’s just certain things that don’t happen on school property.”
Dallas ISD spokesperson Robyn Harris said the organizer was never authorized to hold the event at Lincoln High School. Harris provided a statement by email.
“We are deeply troubled and concerned by images circulating from an unauthorized event at one of our campuses, where community members gathered without district approval, this weekend. Schools are undoubtedly safe havens for many, however, events that steer from our core values with total disregard for the integrity of a school’s space, have no place in Dallas ISD. While a requestor initiated the rental process for an event on a different date, the same individual held another event without our knowledge. That person is now banned from renting any Dallas ISD facility in the future.”
Roache said vendors were reviewed and approved in advance.
“They chose to agree. They allowed everyone to come and that’s how it happened,” Roache said. “We were asked to send in our logos so they could either approve or disapprove and they were approved.”
Dallas ISD has a police force that patrols district campuses. Visitors were charged $7 admission. Vendor set up tents and tables with displays and food. But the administration says all of it happened without approval.
“That's surprising because you cannot get on our campus and do anything, any of our campuses, without going through proper protocol,” Johnson said.
Johnson said trustees still have questions about the event and how it happened.
