Opinion: Homecoming court is just a popularity contest
PHOTO Sophie Collins
September 29, 2022
Homecoming court is the biggest popularity contest in high school. According to the University of Minnesota, homecoming court has been a tradition since 1932; members were selected and judged based on button sales, popularity, beauty and academic standing. Even back when homecoming court began, it was a popularity contest.
“I feel the point of the homecoming court is picking students from each grade to represent their class. Allowing different students or multiple students to express themselves through campaigning,” junior Libby Pattan said. “I feel it is a good way for the rest of the school to get to know these individuals; it also gives the students on court an opportunity to make memories that will last them a lifetime.”
The freshman through junior class get to choose two representatives, while the seniors elect 10 and ultimately vote for a king and queen, announced at halftime of the homecoming football game. If you get selected to be on homecoming court, you should expect to get a lot of attention. Not only does the whole school know about your selection, but the whole court is expected to walk the football field at the game. Along with walking down the football field, the representatives of each grade will be in the homecoming parade.
“I believe the court is a fun way to engage the students in the tradition of homecoming,” Pattan said. “It also gets them excited for the dance.”
Homecoming court is simple— each grade votes for one girl and one boy from their class and whomever gets the most votes wins. With that being said, people on the ballot have to be able to get the most votes, but how? Before social media, people would just get votes based on how many people knew they were running. Now with social media everywhere, people will post pictures and campaigns on their accounts in hopes to get the most votes; however, with or without social media, the campaign process is really just who is more “popular” around the school.
“Homecoming court is pointless and I don’t get why we vote for a specific person to be king or queen,” junior Kali Gwaltney said. “I don’t get the voting process and why certain people get picked. I also know some people get voted as a joke so I just don’t think it’s really necessary.”
Homecoming court has become more and more about who is the favorite couple or most known. People who aren’t dating anyone better be well-liked in school, otherwise it’s likely they won’t win.
“I believe that people without a significant other are at a disadvantage when it comes to court,” Pattan said, “because people are less likely to vote for them.”
In the end, homecoming court is just for the fun of seeing who is the most-liked or most popular around the school.
Ash Holmes • Sep 30, 2022 at 10:55 AM
I would also like to add the trend I’ve noticed with homecoming courts everywhere, not just in Fenton. One thing that is often seen as hilarious is running with someone as a joke. I feel like some “popular” students take advantage of students that are not as high on the “social hierarchy” as them. I am fully aware that some popular students do this in an effort to help kids with disabilities or ASD feel included and represented, but that is not what I’m talking about. I do feel like there are instances where students will run with a person on the autism spectrum in an effort to make fun of them, use them, or make them the butt of their joke. Not only do they run with these students as a joke, but they often win. I would assume that sometimes, depending on the person, these kids can be completely unaware of the joke being played on them. Even if a person has knowledge of the joke, they could still feel pressured to run. It grosses me out.