As the 2021-2022 school year comes to an end, many students are looking forward to prom. However, after receiving the news that prom is going to be open to all grade levels, many students have strong emotions about the decision.
Here’s what a few students have to say.
Photos by Katie Vo.
“I don’t think underclassmen should be able to go because I think prom should be only for upperclassmen. It’s supposed to be for them only. Yes, I have [seen the petition] and I don’t know how I feel about it,” junior Trisha Le said.
“I think it’s fair for [underclassmen] to go even though I heard most of the higher grades don’t want the younger grades to go. I guess they feel like they should have it for the seniors and juniors only. I feel like it’s totally up to whoever is going. Next time, I think they should vote on it, and that’d be a good idea. In all, I think it’s pretty cool that everybody else gets to go. I haven’t [seen the petition], but I think it’s pretty cool because it gives everyone a chance to see who can go,” junior Elliot Ritcie said.
“I think it’s good that they are including more of the grade levels, but I feel like only the juniors and seniors should attend it because it’s more formal. No I haven’t [seen the petition], but I feel like it doesn’t have to go to that extent, but I do agree that only the upperclassmen should go,” sophomore Hillary Nguyen said.
“Personally, I think it should be solely juniors and seniors that are allowed because I feel like the juniors and seniors have had their high school experience mostly impacted by covid. Covid has had a worse effect on the juniors and seniors and they’ve lost more of their high school experience compared to the freshman and sophomores who are newer to the school. So they still have two more years to go to the dances, and prom is just generally seen as a thing for upperclassmen. I have heard of the petition but I have not actually seen it, and I think it’s a good idea but I’m not sure how much it’s actually going to do,” senior Gavin Rose said.
“I got asked by an upperclassman but I think that underclassmen should be able to go only if they get asked. I feel like groups of underclassmen, like a group of freshmen at prom, I feel like that would just ruin the experience because prom is more of the higher dances for upperclassmen. Yes, I have [seen the petition]. I feel like they shouldn’t have made a petition because people that maybe got asked would be a little scared to go, but I get where they’re coming from,” sophomore Isabella Abrahams said.
“Personally, I don’t really care that much, but if I were an underclassman I wouldn’t go because prom is supposed to be special because it’s an upperclassman thing. But if you go every single year and everyone is allowed to go, then it doesn’t really make it special anymore. Yes, I have [seen the petition]. I feel like the petition isn’t really that necessary. I feel like people can decide for themselves if they want to have a unique experience about prom or kind of make it less special and make it every year,” senior Kaylee Nguyen said.
“I don’t actually want that, I think it should be kept to the upperclassmen. I wanted to keep it special for them. No I haven’t [seen the petition], but.I would sign for it,” freshman Shawn Liu said.
“I think it’s good because it gives an opportunity for others when they reach their senior year. When they date someone they are going to have more experience, so I think that’s good. I have not seen the petition but I think they shouldn’t just limit it to the upperclassmen. I think that everyone should be able to go,” freshman Sebastian Veal said.
