Homecoming court should be abolished
Although ETHS continues to crown Homecoming King and Queen, we live in a generation that is too progressive to give a select few teenagers crowns for their success in popularity.
Putting big posters around every corner of the school and making announcements over the loudspeakers during the day is definitely overdoing it. People practically beg for their peers to vote for them in a silly contest that has no meaning.
Being elected homecoming king or queen does not mean anything, aside from the fact that you are well-liked. It does not make the winner better than the losers, or better than the people who were not elected. Simply put, the race to this throne is a popularity contest.
When put in these terms, it begs the question: Why do we hold this election every year? It is exclusive and makes others feel inferior. Besides, do the pretty, popular kids need more validation than they already get?
The simple answer is that homecoming is a tradition. Schools do not want to change their traditions because it is what everyone is used to. Changing the policies would take an adjustment, but it would be worth it in the long run. Although homecoming courts can bring out the worst in some people, it can bring out the best in a school community. Mary Collins, homecoming queen for the class of 1984, says that these titles represent tradition and school spirit. As long as they are a positive thing, she claims, they should be kept in place.
Homecoming courts can have positive effects. Homecoming is a tradition where the entire student body participates in the dance, the football game, spirit week and, of course, the contest for homecoming court. The homecoming court is another aspect of the unity and school spirit brought to ETHS throughout homecoming.
These titles can also be used to bring out acceptance of others. For example, a University of Northern Iowa transgender student was crowned homecoming queen in 2013. Collins also notes that in her experience as homecoming queen, no one campaigned for their votes. Unfortunately, this is not the case currently.
The campaigns are not worth it. People practically beg for their peers to vote for them in a silly contest that has no meaning. The campaigns these days are out of control. We as a school community should not be too stuck in our old traditions and realize that it may be time to form new ones.
It is time for us to reconsider the traditional homecoming court. A good alternative would be electing 5-10 students of each gender to be recognized for community service or outstanding academic achievement.
This would allow people to be recognized for actually achieving something tangible, not more recognition of their placement in the ever present social hierarchy.
Now is the time to form new traditions that would make more students feel included and appreciated by their peers.
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Lendy Lee • Mar 10, 2019 at 1:51 pm
Homecoming court is school-enforced classism and should be abolished. Homecoming courts are typically made up of the wealthiest kids, non-disabled, white. They haven’t done anything special to “earn” wearing a crown. It may reinforce narcissism with some kids and stroke the egos of kids who are already very privileged. The author is correct here, it should be a community service award or based on academic achievement.
John Yi • Mar 27, 2017 at 11:47 pm
I think Homecoming Court should be abolished because it is the time of year when the unpopular kids know that no one likes them. When I tried to express my desire to run, everyone said that nobody liked me, I would get no votes, etc. In the end I got 6 votes out of about 750, and I had to convince those 6 to vote for me. The reason I ran was to show the bias of the system. and my failure in the polls expressed just that.
Danny • Sep 19, 2016 at 5:26 pm
It should be me Danny Chafetz Aka D MONEY because I have gone long ways seens I just came to eths when I was a freshmen now look at me now the last year of school because now I am a srier
Yugioh4L • Oct 21, 2015 at 12:38 pm
An even better idea would be to have all of the students be the king and queen. That way no one feels left out and the tradition, though changed, is partly still in place. A win-win in my opinion.