ASB’s Homecoming Changes: Courageous, Commendable

September 26, 2017

ASB is to be commended for modernizing the tradition of Homecoming. They’ve placed an emphasis on seniors’ on-campus contributions and taken away the titles “King” and “Queen” — two momentous shifts toward a more inclusive Homecoming Court that represents Los Altos as a whole.

Along with festivities and excitement, Homecoming Court plays an important role in celebrating senior role models that exemplify the diversity of student accomplishment at Los Altos. But in past years, court nominations and voting have sometimes boiled down to name-recognition over contributions, and the gender binary titles “King” and “Queen” have persisted. With many Bay Area schools transitioning away from the traditional court system, it’s great to see ASB embrace that change this year. We students should embrace it too.

Court members will now be selected and divided into groups based on their on-campus activities, like AVID, football or Broken Box. This change marks a big step toward creating a court that celebrates school achievement instead of glorifying individual popularity. It also makes court festivities all the more exciting for other students, who can now cheer on representatives from their favorite activities.

Further, ASB’s shift away from “King” and “Queen” titles and mock couples helps promote inclusivity on the court. The change allows Los Altos to select their best student representatives regardless of gender, and includes transgender and gender-nonconforming students. It also prevents out-and-proud gay court members from having to masquerade as part of a straight mock couple.

While some students may miss the traditional “King” and “Queen” titles, they must recognize that the heteronormative labels have prevented certain students from feeling comfortable with this all-important Los Altos tradition. Plus, we can rest assured that the two seniors picked this year will be no less celebrated than in years past.

Thanks to the changes ASB has made, our Homecoming festivities will better represent our community as a whole. The measures ASB has taken to ensure an inclusive Homecoming Court are courageous — truly the stuff of good leadership.