Students overreact to well-intended dance policy

While a mere 150 students showed up to the Back-to-School dance in August, at least 1,000 students from local schools enjoyed a wild night at the Masquerade Mixer at the Chinese Performing Arts Center on Oct. 19, a dance organized by students and free from the restrictions of a “boring” school dance that prohibits freaking.

The face-to-face policy resulted in controversy, causing some students to angrily voice their opposition on Facebook groups and boycott the first dance. Although understandable, this overreaction may prompt students to instead go to mixers, and some people blame the new dance policy for this possible consequence.

In a survey conducted by the Falcon of 100 sophomores, juniors and seniors, 27 of 33 people who said they go to mixers do so in order to freak.

“It’s better than the dance policy at school,” an anonymous respondent of the survey said. “It’s not that I don’t like the dance policy; it’s the fact that [the school is] stopping us from doing something not during school hours.”

Clearly, the dance policy that is not the problem; rather, it is the students’ immaturity. The argument for freaking, of course, is that students should have the freedom to behave how they choose. What they fail to realize, however, is that the school's primary responsibility is to create an environment where all of its students can feel included. The reality of freaking is that it makes dances hugely uncomfortable for a significant number of potential participants. 

Unfortunately, students have become so entrenched in criticizing the administration that they have forgotten the purpose of attending mixers and dancers alike: to socialize and meet up with friends. Instead, they dwell on their inappropriate desires, which only bring about harsh consequences.

They’re also missing out on the best parts of school dances.

“I think that those who are open to the new dance policy will probably realize how fun dances still can be,” junior Meghna Chakraborty said. “I already know a few people who were surprised that they had so much fun at the last dance.”

Regardless, the stubborn attitudes of pro-freaking students may have led them to instead attend mixers, where students may partake in unnecessary and dangerous behavior. According to the survey, of 37 people who said they drink alcohol, 60 percent said they are theoretically more likely to drink at a mixer than before a school dance. 

Although drinking is a serious concern, the administration cannot be blamed for this unintended consequence of the anti-freaking policy, especially because behavior at mixers is outside their control. 

Additionally, no conclusive evidence proves that attendance at mixers and underaged drinking have actually increased after the implementation of the policy. Only 13 people in the survey admitted they actually consume alcohol at mixers without indicating this was because of the dance policy. 

And even if it was, those who insist on freaking and drinking will find a way to do so even if freaking were allowed to resume at future school dances. That is the unfortunate reality of party culture.

What needs to change, rather, is the teenage conception of parties as a whole. The dance policy cannot solve inappropriate behavior any more than laws against killing can hope to eliminate all future homicides; however, the administration’s efforts are certainly a step in the right direction. 

The next step is for students to make individual efforts to break out of the cycle of party culture and see dances as social occasions that are fun and safe and don’t require either alcohol or freaking.