Costumes are allowed and encouraged at New Trier during Homecoming Spirit Week and Halloween.
However, costumes are still not allowed for seniors on the last day of school, even though their purpose is to show pride, school spirit, and celebration, according to the administration.
New Trier Assistant Principal for Administrative Services, Scott Williams, distributed this year’s guidelines for New Trier student’s Halloween costumes to all New trier faculty.
According to Williams, students are not allowed to wear ethnically or culturally stereotypical costumes, masks, face paint that covers a student’s whole face, sexually suggestive costumes, or bring scooters or roller skates.
If students do not comply with these rules their costumes will be confiscated.
“Normal school rules also apply to student’s outfits during spirit week,” said Williams,
“It cannot be distracting from the educational environment and it cannot have drug or alcohol references or excessive references to violence.”
Erin Guder, senior and Pep Club President, said, “Faculty does have to approve spirit week dress up days. There is a board meeting held prior to that week to discuss plans for homecoming and dress up days.”
According to Williams, senior costumes are confiscated because there is a different attitude that seniors have on that last day of school that could make for a unsafe environment.
“Unfortunately, over the years, we have had a number of students who dress up on that last day of school and also have a party mentality. It disrupts the school day when they engage in behaviors that are disrespectful to the educational environment for the two thousand other kids who are still in school,” Williams continued.
The administration believes that Halloween costumes, while disruptive to an extent, do not turn into a mob mentality type of event.
“I don’t find them [Halloween costumes and spirit week costumes] distracting at all. I love when students of such a larger school are able to connect by dressing up. It unifies us. Sometimes my classes will take five minutes to get started because we are talking about costumes but what class starts on time?” said Guder.
According to Williams, Halloween is an individual event that does not bring a party atmosphere into the school.
“If we start to see students on Halloween chanting in the P-Stairwell, then maybe we would have to ban Halloween costumes. But until then, I see no equivalency with Halloween and the seniors’ last day of school,” said Williams.
Guder agreed, saying, “A few years ago on the last day some seniors damaged a large amount of property. This can be viewed as a result of the groupthink that happens among students when dressing alike. But for the administration to judge following years based on one group of seniors’ actions is unfair.”
Confiscating costumes is effective. According to Williams, over the years the administration has attempted to send a message to students that, while the last day of high school is exciting and enjoyable, the school cannot become a party environment.
“Students have plenty of other opportunities to celebrate graduation, whether that be with their families, the graduation ceremony, or at the amazing senior party that is thrown the night of graduation,” said Williams.