Student Government met Friday morning in the Lecture Hall to discuss Spirit Week and to hear from Gay-Straight Alliance representatives about graduation robes.

This year, Student Government reported the lowest number of missed classes in Spirit Week counting. Furthermore, Mr. Light announced that he was pleased with the senior boys’ dance and found nothing inappropriate in the performance. This came as great news following doubt that the dance would be allowed to be included in the Pep Rally this year.

Three GSA members were present at the meeting to propose a uniform color for all graduation robes. Rachael Lauterbach, president of the GSA, explains,

Gay Straight Alliance is pushing to adopt one color of graduation robes primarily because diplomas do not differ between genders, making the two-color tradition outdated. Similarly, it’s important that the senior class is presented as one unified group, and this will not be possible if a nonexistent division is created between genders. The group also asks that we consider the potentially harmful effect that two-colored robes can have on individuals who do not, for example, identify as the binary gender they were born into. Pressing any student to wear robes that represent an assigned sex proves unfair. Due to the fact that numerous other schools have made this very transition, GSA feels that it is far from an unreasonable move.

This measure will be discussed further with the senior class officers, and Pantherbook will continue its coverage of this year’s graduation.