HoCo Madness

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a freshman at Whitman and don't understand the history. My kid didn't do the busses and all that stuff because apparently "freshman don't get to do that." He did go to the game and the HoCo festival thing that happened after the game, which he said was boring. But why doesn't Whitman have a dance - is there a story there? Has all this other stuff gotten so over the top in part because there isn't even a dance?

History is that dance ended with COVID. The first year back, they didn't resurrect the dance. Instead they have a school-sponsored party on the baseball field after the football game on Friday night. That has now gone on for three years, and it seems like the kids enjoy it (bounce houses, etc.). On the Saturday, self-organized groups do these self-organized gatherings that involve some combination of dressing up (or down, depending how you feel about those dresses), dinner, trip to monuments, parties, etc. And without the dance to anchor it, the ugliness really comes through. Sounds like a lot of kids don't go overboard, and kudos so those with kids who don't transgress. To me, it seems like a parent-sanctioned weekend of debauchery - things going on that other weekends they'd frown upon.

Did Whitman tell their parents or the school that they don’t like homecoming dances? I don’t understand how something so standard was thrown by the wayside?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a freshman at Whitman and don't understand the history. My kid didn't do the busses and all that stuff because apparently "freshman don't get to do that." He did go to the game and the HoCo festival thing that happened after the game, which he said was boring. But why doesn't Whitman have a dance - is there a story there? Has all this other stuff gotten so over the top in part because there isn't even a dance?

History is that dance ended with COVID. The first year back, they didn't resurrect the dance. Instead they have a school-sponsored party on the baseball field after the football game on Friday night. That has now gone on for three years, and it seems like the kids enjoy it (bounce houses, etc.). On the Saturday, self-organized groups do these self-organized gatherings that involve some combination of dressing up (or down, depending how you feel about those dresses), dinner, trip to monuments, parties, etc. And without the dance to anchor it, the ugliness really comes through. Sounds like a lot of kids don't go overboard, and kudos so those with kids who don't transgress. To me, it seems like a parent-sanctioned weekend of debauchery - things going on that other weekends they'd frown upon.

Did Whitman tell their parents or the school that they don’t like homecoming dances? I don’t understand how something so standard was thrown by the wayside?

Not that I'm aware of - first year post COVID, the student government association came up with the idea of the outdoor party, which made sense because it was outdoors. Then it stuck. There used to be a dance, but the last one was in Fall 2019 as I understand things.

[Anonymous]

Rich people problems. Just say no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a freshman at Whitman and don't understand the history. My kid didn't do the busses and all that stuff because apparently "freshman don't get to do that." He did go to the game and the HoCo festival thing that happened after the game, which he said was boring. But why doesn't Whitman have a dance - is there a story there? Has all this other stuff gotten so over the top in part because there isn't even a dance?

History is that dance ended with COVID. The first year back, they didn't resurrect the dance. Instead they have a school-sponsored party on the baseball field after the football game on Friday night. That has now gone on for three years, and it seems like the kids enjoy it (bounce houses, etc.). On the Saturday, self-organized groups do these self-organized gatherings that involve some combination of dressing up (or down, depending how you feel about those dresses), dinner, trip to monuments, parties, etc. And without the dance to anchor it, the ugliness really comes through. Sounds like a lot of kids don't go overboard, and kudos so those with kids who don't transgress. To me, it seems like a parent-sanctioned weekend of debauchery - things going on that other weekends they'd frown upon.

Did Whitman tell their parents or the school that they don’t like homecoming dances? I don’t understand how something so standard was thrown by the wayside?

Not that I'm aware of - first year post COVID, the student government association came up with the idea of the outdoor party, which made sense because it was outdoors. Then it stuck. There used to be a dance, but the last one was in Fall 2019 as I understand things.

Doesn't seem like it really stuck since kids are going through the hurdles of doing all of the rituals that would go with the dance the next day and organizing their own unofficial HoCo parties.

I'm curious why it "stuck" after COVID, but I'm not a Whitman parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a freshman at Whitman and don't understand the history. My kid didn't do the busses and all that stuff because apparently "freshman don't get to do that." He did go to the game and the HoCo festival thing that happened after the game, which he said was boring. But why doesn't Whitman have a dance - is there a story there? Has all this other stuff gotten so over the top in part because there isn't even a dance?

History is that dance ended with COVID. The first year back, they didn't resurrect the dance. Instead they have a school-sponsored party on the baseball field after the football game on Friday night. That has now gone on for three years, and it seems like the kids enjoy it (bounce houses, etc.). On the Saturday, self-organized groups do these self-organized gatherings that involve some combination of dressing up (or down, depending how you feel about those dresses), dinner, trip to monuments, parties, etc. And without the dance to anchor it, the ugliness really comes through. Sounds like a lot of kids don't go overboard, and kudos so those with kids who don't transgress. To me, it seems like a parent-sanctioned weekend of debauchery - things going on that other weekends they'd frown upon.

Did Whitman tell their parents or the school that they don’t like homecoming dances? I don’t understand how something so standard was thrown by the wayside?

Not that I'm aware of - first year post COVID, the student government association came up with the idea of the outdoor party, which made sense because it was outdoors. Then it stuck. There used to be a dance, but the last one was in Fall 2019 as I understand things.

Doesn't seem like it really stuck since kids are going through the hurdles of doing all of the rituals that would go with the dance the next day and organizing their own unofficial HoCo parties.

I'm curious why it "stuck" after COVID, but I'm not a Whitman parent.

Well, it "stuck" in that it's now been held three years in a row. Yes, it seems many kids have kept the Saturday traditions alive sans the dance, but the Friday night party on the baseball field does seem to now be a tradition too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rich people problems. Just say no.

Seriously. My kids at Einstein had a fun evening: pictures in the yard, school dance and treats in the gym, lots of selfies, home by 10:30. If you don’t want to live around rich ostentatious people, then don’t.

[Anonymous]

Home 12.30 on Saturday night ~ it couldn't be that bad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a freshman at Whitman and don't understand the history. My kid didn't do the busses and all that stuff because apparently "freshman don't get to do that." He did go to the game and the HoCo festival thing that happened after the game, which he said was boring. But why doesn't Whitman have a dance - is there a story there? Has all this other stuff gotten so over the top in part because there isn't even a dance?

History is that dance ended with COVID. The first year back, they didn't resurrect the dance. Instead they have a school-sponsored party on the baseball field after the football game on Friday night. That has now gone on for three years, and it seems like the kids enjoy it (bounce houses, etc.). On the Saturday, self-organized groups do these self-organized gatherings that involve some combination of dressing up (or down, depending how you feel about those dresses), dinner, trip to monuments, parties, etc. And without the dance to anchor it, the ugliness really comes through. Sounds like a lot of kids don't go overboard, and kudos so those with kids who don't transgress. To me, it seems like a parent-sanctioned weekend of debauchery - things going on that other weekends they'd frown upon.

Did Whitman tell their parents or the school that they don’t like homecoming dances? I don’t understand how something so standard was thrown by the wayside?

Not that I'm aware of - first year post COVID, the student government association came up with the idea of the outdoor party, which made sense because it was outdoors. Then it stuck. There used to be a dance, but the last one was in Fall 2019 as I understand things.

This makes absolutely no sense. The party on the baseball field is fine. But all this other stuff happening outside of school is not homecoming it’s just random folks throwing together random events with little to no supervision. Sounds like what Whitman has is a parent problem that the school and PTSA should bring up.

Homecoming is already a ridiculous tradition in HS since most alumni are not actually coming back. But to now make it a bunch of un associated functions that endanger kids health is beyond ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a freshman at Whitman and don't understand the history. My kid didn't do the busses and all that stuff because apparently "freshman don't get to do that." He did go to the game and the HoCo festival thing that happened after the game, which he said was boring. But why doesn't Whitman have a dance - is there a story there? Has all this other stuff gotten so over the top in part because there isn't even a dance?

History is that dance ended with COVID. The first year back, they didn't resurrect the dance. Instead they have a school-sponsored party on the baseball field after the football game on Friday night. That has now gone on for three years, and it seems like the kids enjoy it (bounce houses, etc.). On the Saturday, self-organized groups do these self-organized gatherings that involve some combination of dressing up (or down, depending how you feel about those dresses), dinner, trip to monuments, parties, etc. And without the dance to anchor it, the ugliness really comes through. Sounds like a lot of kids don't go overboard, and kudos so those with kids who don't transgress. To me, it seems like a parent-sanctioned weekend of debauchery - things going on that other weekends they'd frown upon.

Did Whitman tell their parents or the school that they don’t like homecoming dances? I don’t understand how something so standard was thrown by the wayside?

Not that I'm aware of - first year post COVID, the student government association came up with the idea of the outdoor party, which made sense because it was outdoors. Then it stuck. There used to be a dance, but the last one was in Fall 2019 as I understand things.

This makes absolutely no sense. The party on the baseball field is fine. But all this other stuff happening outside of school is not homecoming it’s just random folks throwing together random events with little to no supervision. Sounds like what Whitman has is a parent problem that the school and PTSA should bring up.

Homecoming is already a ridiculous tradition in HS since most alumni are not actually coming back. But to now make it a bunch of un associated functions that endanger kids health is beyond ridiculous.

It's basically creating a shadow Homecoming experience. Which pretty much suggests that the community does miss or crave the traditional Homecoming experience, which suggests the attempt to replace the traditional Homecoming dance with whatever they do on Friday night is not working....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - the thing is, at Whitman, there is no dance. HoCo is all the other stuff, without a dance to sort of provide a central component. The person who mentioned affluence is right. Parents are footing - or at least fronting - all of this. I wish they'd all band together and just put a stop to the excess, on all levels. Fortunately, it appears no disasters occurred. But, it could so easily happen (I know it can other weekends too.)

Why isn’t there a dance?? I’m so confused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a freshman at Whitman and don't understand the history. My kid didn't do the busses and all that stuff because apparently "freshman don't get to do that." He did go to the game and the HoCo festival thing that happened after the game, which he said was boring. But why doesn't Whitman have a dance - is there a story there? Has all this other stuff gotten so over the top in part because there isn't even a dance?

History is that dance ended with COVID. The first year back, they didn't resurrect the dance. Instead they have a school-sponsored party on the baseball field after the football game on Friday night. That has now gone on for three years, and it seems like the kids enjoy it (bounce houses, etc.). On the Saturday, self-organized groups do these self-organized gatherings that involve some combination of dressing up (or down, depending how you feel about those dresses), dinner, trip to monuments, parties, etc. And without the dance to anchor it, the ugliness really comes through. Sounds like a lot of kids don't go overboard, and kudos so those with kids who don't transgress. To me, it seems like a parent-sanctioned weekend of debauchery - things going on that other weekends they'd frown upon.

A School wide party sounds like a lot of fun- much more fun than a dance where nobody dances. Do the kids enjoy it?

It sounds more inclusive but these parents are messing that up by creating these exclusive side parties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a freshman at Whitman and don't understand the history. My kid didn't do the busses and all that stuff because apparently "freshman don't get to do that." He did go to the game and the HoCo festival thing that happened after the game, which he said was boring. But why doesn't Whitman have a dance - is there a story there? Has all this other stuff gotten so over the top in part because there isn't even a dance?

History is that dance ended with COVID. The first year back, they didn't resurrect the dance. Instead they have a school-sponsored party on the baseball field after the football game on Friday night. That has now gone on for three years, and it seems like the kids enjoy it (bounce houses, etc.). On the Saturday, self-organized groups do these self-organized gatherings that involve some combination of dressing up (or down, depending how you feel about those dresses), dinner, trip to monuments, parties, etc. And without the dance to anchor it, the ugliness really comes through. Sounds like a lot of kids don't go overboard, and kudos so those with kids who don't transgress. To me, it seems like a parent-sanctioned weekend of debauchery - things going on that other weekends they'd frown upon.

Did Whitman tell their parents or the school that they don’t like homecoming dances? I don’t understand how something so standard was thrown by the wayside?

Not that I'm aware of - first year post COVID, the student government association came up with the idea of the outdoor party, which made sense because it was outdoors. Then it stuck. There used to be a dance, but the last one was in Fall 2019 as I understand things.

This. And it makes the weekend into a big late night event on Friday AND Saturday night. Ugh

This makes absolutely no sense. The party on the baseball field is fine. But all this other stuff happening outside of school is not homecoming it’s just random folks throwing together random events with little to no supervision. Sounds like what Whitman has is a parent problem that the school and PTSA should bring up.

Homecoming is already a ridiculous tradition in HS since most alumni are not actually coming back. But to now make it a bunch of un associated functions that endanger kids health is beyond ridiculous.

It's basically creating a shadow Homecoming experience. Which pretty much suggests that the community does miss or crave the traditional Homecoming experience, which suggests the attempt to replace the traditional Homecoming dance with whatever they do on Friday night is not working....

[Anonymous]

There was a scandal at the dance pre covid - alleged sexual harassment at the dance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a scandal at the dance pre covid - alleged sexual harassment at the dance.

So let's do alcohol and drug-fueled house parties sponsored by parents instead?

This is one of those cases where the solutions is worse than the original problem it was meant to solve....

[Anonymous]

I thinks it is sad so many kids drinking. My kid is at Churchill and told me about girls who didn’t even make it to the dance because they were drunk. It is sad that parents condone this. These kids are in 9th grade. It is not about the dance. It’s about the pre and after parties and being seen at the right ones. So much pressure on these kids to be invited to the right ones. I know girls that don’t drink but already feel pressure to drink so they can be cool. Sad.