An Irish American girl in Philadelphia is standing up to the Archdiocese whose rule won’t let her go to prom without a date.

Amanda Dougherty (17) told CBS she’s spent about $1,000 on her perfect dress, shoes and accessories but her hopes of the perfect prom were dashed earlier this week when her date, a high school junior, cancelled on her. Now the teenager may not be allowed to attended Archbishop John Carroll High School’s prom because of the Church’s rule.

She told reporters, “For them to say we're not good enough to go without a guy next to us, that's kind of sickening."

Her father Jack Dougherty said, “She's been excited for a couple of years (about prom). She went out around Christmas looking for her dress.”

The teenager said she and her friends were really excited about the dance and created a Facebook page to plan their dresses. She said it was “blocked so the guys couldn't see it.”

A statement released by the Office of Catholic Education said the school has “numerous dances and events throughout the year where dates are not required, but we view the prom as a special social event where a date is required to attend.”

CBS Eyewitness News reported on her case: