Promgate Lawsuit Against School District Dismissed, But Can Be Filed Again

Melody and Miranda Williams had their day in court Monday and their case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning they can re-file the claim if their beef against Dixon Unified School District is not resolved through administrative channels.

On April 28, Miranda Williams was among a group of 35 student leaders who were not allowed to attend their Junior Prom held at the Elks Tower in Sacramento.

The incident drew both local and regional coverage and came to be known as Promgate. Williams and her mother, Melody, filed a lawsuit seeking damages in the amount of $7,000 claiming that the school violated its dance contract and had robbed Miranda of precious memories she would have made at the prom.

Principal John Barsotti prevented the students from attending the prom after a bottle of vitamin water, which was filled with a small amount of alcohol, was discovered on the bus that the students chartered to take them to the prom.

Barsotti apologized to the students, however, many said that it wasn't enough. The school vowed to make it up to the students, even going so far as to create a dance contract committee to prevent events such as Promgate from ever happening at the school.

But some in the community felt that this was an inadequate way to make it up to the students, among them Williams and her mother.

The Williamses appeared at the Solano Small Claims Court and told Judge Pro Tem Tom Surh that they had discovered that they could address their claim against the school administratively according to this story posted on The Vacaville Reporter’s web site.

Reached by phone on Thursday, DUSD Superintendent Brian Dolan said that as of Thursday afternoon, the Williamses had not filed a complaint with the school, however they could do so at any time and it would be dealt with then.

Dolan said that he had an indication that the Williamses were going to drop the punitive portion of the bill and only ask for the $617 incurred from the costs associated with the prom.

This fact however, was not confirmed as of this posting and we will update the story once a message to Melody Williams is returned.

Stay with Patch for an update on this and other stories happening in Dixon.

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