The Un-Homecoming

Photo by Deanna Arpi Youssoufian

This fall, as most high school students geared up for the football season and homecoming, Princeton High School students were faced with a different prospect: the cancellation of the annual homecoming dance. In late September, the homecoming dance was officially canceled and replaced with a movie night and bonfire homecoming event.

The future of the homecoming dance seemed to be in jeopardy as soon as last year’s dance ended. Trouble at the dance required the attendance of two ambulances, as two students got into a fight and another fainted. Byrne Fahey, a junior and member of the Student Council, said of the behavior at past dances, “It was pretty grimy to say the least.”

However, the executive decision to actually cancel the homecoming dance, made by Principal Gary Snyder, left students shocked and outraged. Only hours after the decision became known, students reacted with anger, using social media sites like Facebook to begin planning protests. Seniors Bruce Robertson and Andrew Ochoa created an event on Facebook and a petition, organizing a protest that was to take place two days later. The petition quickly gathered over 200 signatures, including signatures of parents. However, the protest event was taken off Facebook the next day and the petition never made it to Principal Snyder.

Principal Snyder cited the inappropriate dancing as the main reason for the cancellation of the dance. In an article in the school newspaper, The Tower, Principal Snyder stated that the alcohol and drug abuse at the dance was less of a problem than the dancing, which he said made numerous students uncomfortable.

Principal Snyder’s reasoning behind the cancellation of the dance seems to have upset students more than the actual cancellation. Senior Atleigh Forden said, “I think it was a complete over-reaction. If you stick a couple hundred teenagers in a dark gym with flashing lights and suggestive music, I don’t know what you expect to happen.”

Jacqueline DeClue, also a senior, agreed, “I wasn’t surprised that homecoming was canceled but I was surprised by the reasoning behind it. It wasn’t the drug use or the alcohol use but the dancing that everyone partakes in. I’m upset because I know the dancing is never going to change; canceling the dance or postponing it for a year isn’t going to make a difference.”

Members of the student council who were in dialogue about homecoming with Mark Shelley, the Student Council Advisor and Principal Snyder, saw the situation slightly differently. Lena Sun, executive council secretary said, “I do wish though that instead of removing the dance entirely, the student body and the administrators were given the opportunity to work together and think of ways to make homecoming safer, or I wish, at the least, that this decision had been made earlier to give more time to find an alternative to homecoming.”

Lena added, “Personally, I love Homecoming [but] as a Student Council member who has heard the reasons why administrators have taken away the dance, I understand that their decision was made after careful consideration and deliberation.”

As an alternative to the dance, the student council and Principal Snyder eventually agreed upon a movie night and a bonfire. However, only 300 or so students showed up to the bonfire, and those that did, did not respond favorably.
Byrne, a Student Council member who helped organize the bonfire, said, “I was really disappointed with the outcome of the bonfire. It was a great idea, but few of us realized that we wouldn't actually be able to stand around the fire, which was sort of the whole point. Rather, we were sequestered about 20 feet away at the closest point. In addition, the weather didn't work in our favor. It was chilly and rainy.”

Students also say that the cancellation of the dance has led to less school spirit. Senior Zoe Anderson commented, “Despite [the administration’s] misgivings because of past students' behavior at homecoming, homecoming is a Princeton High School tradition and I definitely feel a lack of unity and spirit as a result of the cancellation.”

Now, weeks later, some students understand the administration’s reasoning while others are still angry, especially the senior class. Anik Patel, a senior said, “I think it was unfair since from what I've heard it wasn't the seniors or juniors who got out of hand during the last homecoming.” Senior Milosh Popovic concurred and suggested, “I did not agree with the cancellation of the dance. I feel that the dance could have been kept on schedule but made more of a semiformal dance. Perhaps even a Halloween dance. This would prevent any appalling circumstances but allow students to enjoy what is colloquially known as a tradition at PHS”.

In fact, rumors of a dance to replace the homecoming dance began circulating as soon as the dance was cancelled. In an interview with the Tower, Principal Snyder stated that he was open to a Halloween dance or a winter semi-formal dance, however no plans have been finalized.

In the meantime, students continue to mourn the loss of the homecoming dance. Junior Grace Rifkin said, “I think it really started the year off on a bad foot... It just took a really big part of the school year out; it felt like something was missing.”