Principal Jacqueline McEvoy recently issued a statement saying that students are required to ride charter buses to prom. The statement elicited strong reactions from students.

Pro — Nate Munger

Principal Jacqueline McEvoy’s new requirement that all students must take a bus to prom is a move in the right direction. Many Paly students treat luxuries such as limousines for granted, and forget that there are students who cannot afford such extravagant expenses. This problem is even more pronounced now, when the economic recession means that there are more students who will not be able to afford limousines.

The current policy would not be in place if all students could afford limos. In previous years, students in need of financial aid had to ride buses to prom, according to McEvoy’s statement. To those who feel that having to ride buses to prom is a huge hardship, I ask how they would feel if they were forced to ride a bus to prom while three-fourths of the other students rode limos. A limousine is nothing more than a status symbol, and those who cannot afford one cannot help but feel left out.

The issue is not whether or not people would prefer to go to prom in limos, because most of us would. The issue is whether or not people should have a less enjoyable prom experience simply because their families have less money. Students should be jumping at the opportunity to make less fortunate students feel better about their prom experiences.

Also, having everybody board buses makes supervision easier. According to McEvoy’s plan, all students will board the buses at school, and the buses will take them straight to prom. This ensures that students are under the supervision of administrators throughout the night. Under the previous system, students were only supervised by sometimes irresponsible limousine drivers.

The criticism of this policy has shown me the dark side of Palo Alto High. When faced with a policy to level the playing field and make less fortunate students have a better prom experience, students selfishly demand luxury limousines, even in the midst of an economic crisis, failing to consider how their own judgments will have a toll on some of their fellow students. Students need to learn that there are more important things than having a limousine to take to their high school proms. They should jump at the opportunity to make prom a better experience for everybody.

Con — Seung-Yeon Choi

Principal Jacqueline McEvoy recently announced that all students are required to take charter buses to the prom partly due to the ailing economy. Once again, McEvoy and a large portion of the student population are struggling to reconcile their differences. Through this decision, the administration has seized under its jurisdiction one of the few events that students almost entirely plan. Although armed with good intentions, the administration refuses to help the economic situation through direct actions – instead, it will prevent Paly students from taking limos to promote economic equality.

Instead of attempting to promote economic equality, Paly could host an effective fundraiser or awareness event to directly help neighboring cities that are seriously impacted by the economy. To ease the financial burdens of prom for struggling families, the Associated Student Body could lower ticket costs, offer more scholarships to those who cannot afford to take limos, or offer smaller charter buses to provide an intimate ambiance. The bottom line is this: there are so many alternatives that need consideration. Forbidding students from taking limousines will not result in the administration’s desired effect on the economy and has already caused bitter conflicts between the student population and the administration.

Forcing students to take charter buses will also fail to curb students’ problems with alcohol, which is another reason behind the administration’s requirement of charter bus transportation to prom. Such misdemeanors are bound to happen in any large crowd of teenagers. Students have snuck alcohol into regular dances, regardless of the presence of limos. There is no guarantee that McEvoy’s policy will significantly discourage students from smuggling and sharing alcohol.

In order to prudently solve this problem, ASB and McEvoy must effectively communicate to reach a compromise. First, students should not overly dramatize McEvoy’s decision and refuse to understand her executive position. Instead, they should propose different alternatives through a polite letter, accompanied by a petition signed by parents and students. On the other hand, as the principal of this high school, McEvoy has an obligation to openly discuss her viewpoints with the students and parents of the Paly community. This conflict presents an opportunity to strengthen communication between students and the administration.