Spirit Week is a long-standing tradition at Wellesley High School leading up to the annual pep rally and big Thanksgiving Day football matchup vs. Needham. Every year the halls vibrate with excitement as students psych themselves up by theme dressing to express their Raiders pride. This year’s spirit days have included Mismatch Monday; Pajama Day; and Tropical Tuesday. But not America Day, which was proposed by some students but rejected by the WHS administration.
In a letter to the school community, Principal Jamie Chisum explained the decision “not to go forward with that spirit theme because it felt really different than the other themes kids came up with for the week. We felt that the topic has been politicized beyond our school and we wanted to avoid politics…Spirit Week is intended to be a light and fun way for our students to get excited about our pep rally and Thanksgiving Day football game.”
Some students pushed back against the notion that a patriotic theme was inherently divisive and planned to do America Day anyway—we’re guessing that would mean lots of red, white, and blue clothing. Sartorially straying from the enshrined Spirit Day schedule will not subject students to objections or sanctions from the administration, who are well versed in the Massachusetts state law that protects students’ right to “personal dress and appearance.”
But it does seem like an extra day was inadvertently tacked onto the Spirit Day schedule. Call it Opposite Day. In trying not to make the school atmosphere political and divisive, Chisum conceded in his letter, “We acknowledge that the impact for some people has been just the opposite of our intention and that we have inadvertently politicized this activity. I am definitely sorry for any negative effect this has had on kids and families.”
TV station Boston 25 News also picked up on this story.
Just saw this reported on FOX News, let the students decide as there obviously wiser!
There was only one parent who’s facebook post questioned America Day and then America Day was canceled? It’s amazing that 1 parent has so much power over the town. I wish I had that much power when it comes to the track & field lighting project – complain once and then the project is terminated, simply amazing.
What a joke. How in the world could America Day be viewed as political? Good to see students stand up for what they believe but the reflexive response by the school only shows their own politics and intolerance for speech that doesn’t align with their agenda. Again this wasn’t a tough one to figure out. At least the kids were also quick to respond and by doing show have taught the educators something about patriotism
And the Wellesley school committee and school officials keep wondering why enrollment keeps dropping and enrollment for private schools keep going up.
This is beyond disgusting!.
Oh good grief. As a teacher, I’ve been part of many many years of spirit days in different schools. I’m fact, several of the spirit days we held in a nearby district this week didn’t make Wellesley’s cut- decades day and career day among them. I don’t think the principal of WHS is against the 80’s or, you know, having a job. The theme days were all alliterative, America day wasn’t, and I don’t understand why people (including the Swellesley report posting on Twitter), are so quick to stir the pot and politicize something as inconsequential as a spirit day. The original Facebook post that kicked this all off came from a parent asking for “background” about the decision. You know what’s faster than posting to social media? Just asking the school.
Nice try pointing the finger at Swellesley Report. Parents in Wellesley (and around the country) need to know what’s going on in their schools. Put yourself in the principal’s shoes and imagine a group of students asking you for a day to celebrate America and instead of receiving support you deserve you get turned down immediately and given the excuse that something about celebrating our country is too political for our community to handle. Not good
It appears as a teacher you are part of the problem….. one question is Wellesley in America? Patriotism for our great country is not political, woke agenda and indoctrination in our public schools is political….,
I actually go to WHS and we wanted to call it Freedom Friday. That would be alliteration and would therefore fit in with the other themes.