By Lauren Thom ’18 | Staff Writer

Most people would agree that tradition runs deep through South, but according to Daniel Kuhnlein ‘17, it is time for a change regarding the homecoming court.

Kuhnlein said he believes that the inclusion of males on the homecoming court and having a homecoming king would promote school unity and equality among all students.

“In my opinion, it seems archaic that we put four beautiful young women on this auctioning block and auction them off to the highest bidder,” Kuhnlein said. “This is not something to find the prettiest student, to find the most popular student, this is something to find the student that has done the most for the school.”

Kuhnlein said if he were to design how this homecoming tradition is run, he would ideally have two males and two females from each class as a part of the homecoming court. Seniors would have three males and three females and from the senior class there would be one voted homecoming king and one queen.

In order to push the idea to have a homecoming king at South, Kuhnlein said he scheduled a meeting with members of the administration and faculty, but it was unable to happen this year due to lack of planning.

He said this is something administration is willing to help him create for next year and years to come.

Student Activities Director Maria Mitzel said the idea for a homecoming king was first discussed at some point during the homecoming revision process last year. She said it was then scratched, and once it was brought up again in the fall there weren’t any procedures established in enough time for it to be successful.

Mitzel said she isn’t sure why the discussion of having a homecoming king at South hasn’t been presented until now, but South is deeply rooted in tradition and she said that is a contributing factor.

“I’m all for change, but it has to be student-led. This is the student’s voice, so we have to take the time to do it right,” Mitzel said. “You would hate to see someone put so much energy into it (changing the tradition), then it’s not welcomed or successful.”

Mitzel said she believes the student body would react positively towards this notion, if it is presented in the correct way.

“I’m all about getting as many students as involved as we can and in any way that we can,” Mitzel said. “So if that involves another whole group of guys, I’m all for it.”

Khalib Rahmaan ‘18 said he thinks there should be the inclusion of males on the homecoming court along with a homecoming king, because it’s the same tradition that the girls get to be a part of.

“I feel it would be no different than having a homecoming queen and girls on the homecoming court,” Rahmaan said. “Both would be left for the students to decide who should be on homecoming court and who should be homecoming king and queen.”

Kuhnlein said he has done research about other high schools across Michigan and every school he has contacted has a homecoming king. Others were shocked to hear that South does not and agree with Kuhnlein’s opinion that it is sexist to only vote for women, he said.

“I think our school is rooted in tradition, and that can sometimes be what makes us excellent, but we sometimes focus too much on tradition that people don’t realize adding things can make it more fun, more successful, more exciting for the students, staff, and the school as one,” Kuhnlein said.