Underclassmen Dance: Yay or Nay?

Written by: Lauren Groff

Sparta High School’s first annual Freshmen-Sophomore dance is around the corner… with much controversy surrounding it. For the first time ever, Sparta’s annual homecoming dance was canceled. To compensate, the Junior-Senior Formal was moved to late September. However, much of the student body is disappointed with the lack of a Sparta tradition.

In order to get a better idea of the real thoughts of the student body, we allowed participants to remain anonymous. The answers we received were earnest, straightforward, and unfiltered, just as we had hoped.

Read some fellow Spartan’s opinions below:

Participant 1

Q: How do you feel about the new Freshmen-Sophomore dance this year?

A:" I think it's kind of stupid that it's just us and the freshmen. I think it's annoying that no one cared enough to try to make homecoming happen"

Q: Do you plan on attending?

A: “I’ll probably just go for an hour. The best part is getting dressed up, anyways”

Participant 2

Q: If you had one question to the ask the people who canceled homecoming, what would it be?

A: “Every other school has homecoming so why shouldn't we?"

Q: Do you still plan on going to the dance?

A: “Yeah probably, and then go out to dinner with my friends or something”

Participant 3

Q: How do you feel about the new Freshman- Sophomore dance this November?

A: “I think the dance is ridiculously stupid. No one wants to dance with freshmen. And it's in the annex gym! It's so dirty in there"

In search of a different viewpoint, we asked chemistry teacher Mr. Brady for his perspective on the issue as a faculty member who teaches both upperclassmen and underclassmen. He did not wish to be anonymous in his response.

Q: As a member of the SHS Faculty, how would you say you feel about the upcoming Freshmen-Sophomore dance?

A: “I think it's a good idea because freshmen and sophomores are treated differently by the upperclassmen and they will be more comfortable . And collectively they won't have to deal with the pressures of upperclassmen being there. There's no gossip groups, there's a level playing field. If you limit it to the people you've been with socially, you'll have a better time with your friends. You won't have to worry about what other people think, so I think it's a good idea because it will be more enjoyable.”

Whether or not you plan on purchasing a ticket to this year’s dance, hearing the opinions of your own classmates always makes an interesting story. Tickets are on sale this week during lunch. The dance will be held this Friday, November 3rd from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Feel free to ask any student council officer for any additional information!

Please note: At The Oracle, we pride ourselves on finding stories true to the SHS community that are relevant to both the students and faculty of our school. As our own school news source, it is our job to report the unbiased truth. The quotes included above have been stated verbatim and are from actual Sparta High School students.