What started as the continuation of a senior tradition at Palatine High School quickly turned into controversy when students arrived wearing beer brand-styled shirts, prompting pushback from administrators.
“I feel the school was not fond of our class shirts this year, but in our defense this is not a new thing,” a student who wished to remain anonymous said. “It’s something that has happened for many years and the school is very aware of [it].”
The student believed that their class received an unusually harsh response. As they were simply continuing in the steps of past senior classes, however this year they were reprimanded by the school.
This year marks Palatine High School’s 150th anniversary, making the traditional senior shirts more visible than ever. During the first day of school, seniors gathered on the football field for the annual walk-in as news drones and local media captured aerial and ground footage. Unlike in past years, when the shirts were seen only on campus, this coverage broadcast them to a much wider audience online.
The administration rejected the idea that students were only scolded because of the news presence.
Assistant principal Zia Nathan said that no matter the media coverage “we would have handled it the same way.”
Previous senior shirts have followed the same template for years. The class takes a logo, normally from an alcohol brand, removes the label and adds the word “Seniors” and their graduating year. The design is decided by the student body. The shirts are then distributed by the senior class, all separate from the school board.
While the dress code does directly prohibit any “clothing which depicts tobacco, alcohol, or illegal substances in any way”, the senior board argued the shirts weren’t directly depicting drinking, and instead just subtly referencing it in a way that has been done for years and has not received dress code warnings in the past.
“The school did not react well, they had a talk with [the National Honors Society] (NHS), about how they did not represent the student body well and how if the shirts were worn again it would warrant a dismissal from NHS,” the student said.
This harsh response was directed at NHS but the school states how if any student decides to wear the shirt on school grounds it would result in an immediate response from the administration regardless of their participation with NHS.
“Honestly, I think their reaction is understandable but unfair,” the student continued. “We weren’t trying to hide the fact of what the logo was from so I get why they would be a little upset, but to threaten to dismiss kids from NHS by participating in something the whole senior class was doing is quite unfair.”
NHS students are required to be high-achieving scholars and involved in PHS and the community to be admitted to the program, so these members naturally become leaders among the school. In the NHS code of conduct, members agree to not take part in certain activities like drinking, smoking or vaping.
Megan Gabrielson, a sponsor for the schools NHS program, mentioned how members faced no consequences for wearing the shirt. Students were just informed that it doesn’t align with the National Honors Society.
“While National Honor Society is a club, it is also an organization that honors students for their high academic achievements, for the service and leadership that they provide to the school, and for making good character choices throughout their years in high school.” NHS sponsors Jaclyn Considine and Gabrielson said in a joint statement. “Through collaboration with administration, what we hope students take away is that what they choose to wear, how they act, how they speak to others are all ways of representing themselves as well as their clubs, teams, and organizations.”
For many seniors, the shirts were meant to mark a milestone, not cause controversy. Yet as PHS celebrates its 150th year, the debate over how tradition fits within school rules continues.
