The 'Eagle Times' Student Newspaper: Editorials

Sponsors respond to criticism

Letter to editor submitted

Letter written by Brad Womack and Mary LaMar, StuCo sponsors

September 05, 2007

The theme was a bad one. You could not dress up for the spirit week. No one participated in the activities. It didn't seem like all the candidates took it seriously. The timing of it makes it very difficult to put a candidate video together.

Are these excuses or reasons for no King and Queen of Winter Sports? Whatever you call them, they came up in discussions at STUCO meetings last year. One of the last decisions this organization made last year was to increase the number of candidates (four boys and four girls this year) for homecoming, eliminate winter royalty and plan an activity to replace it that all students could get involved in.

With the arrival of the 2007 – 2008 school year and a new STUCO in place, representatives to this student government body have begun to question that decision. As advisors for this group of students, we are compelled to inform this year’s governing body why the last governing body made their decision. In doing our jobs, it has been twisted to make it be the advisors who have done away with this event. Rest assured the advisors in this organization have no voting power. This is a student issue. On many occasions, we remind students that it is okay to vote against even when everyone is voting in the affirmative. At almost every meeting, they are reminded that they are representing a group of students, and it is their responsibility to vote the will of their constituents.

Tradition has been brought up as a reason to continue on with winter royalty. Tradition is only a good reason if people support that tradition. Our Booster Club is a great example of an organization that had tremendous amount of pride and tradition but when there was no longer a desire by the entire community versus a select few to see that tradition continue, it dissolved.

As sponsors, we must educate our students on the procedure used to make changes in any organization. We have encouraged our STUCO representatives to listen to their constituents and take action based on the will of the entire student body, not on one or two loud voices.

To our student body and concerned patrons, be assured that we will continue conversations and do what is in the best interest of this student body this year.

Sincerely,

Brad Womack and Mary LaMar

Student Council Co-Sponsors

(Letters to the editor must be signed when submitted to "The Eagle Times" newspaper staff under "The Eagle Times" link. These letters may express opinions that are not necessarily those of "The Eagle Times" staff. The editor reserves the right to reject or edit letters for libel, grammar, style, and/or length. Letters from students will be published first since "The Eagle Times" is a student newspaper. Letters may be submitted to Room 117, Silver Lake High School, 200 East Lake, PO Box 39, Silver Lake, Kan. 66539.)