A Wasted Halloween

If the costumes sold around town are any indication of this year’s Halloween, it will be scary.

I went downtown last weekend searching for my outfit, finding last-minute crowds everywhere I went. I was disappointed by what I found-not just the line to get into Scavenge, but the costume supply. Every store I entered held the same display of pre-packaged costumes that held less material than what I was already wearing. The costumes for sale “are like strips of fabric,” a girl lamented. Originally, people dressed up on Halloween to scare away spirits that returned once a year in hope of possessing a body. Maybe all we need these days is for ghouls to be afraid of exposed skin.

I think few will admit that the real reason behind their miniskirts and stiletto heels is the attention they receive, unwanted or not. Combine that with alcohol, drugs and a bunch of teenagers and just guess the results.

A few weeks ago was the Homecoming Dance, and rumors have been flying about an incident involving underage drinking, an ambulance, and the police. The school reacted by suspending the students caught with alcohol and threatening them with expulsion. In response, the parents hired attorneys to battle the legal system and to wipe their kids’ records clean. Alcohol is illegal for anyone under the age of 21. Do they expect money to win over the law?

Sadly, this incident doesn’t come as a surprise. Last year’s prom ended with a group of high-achieving, award-winning students caught with alcohol in the very hotel in which the dance was held. There was a fight led by parents over suspensions and the possible removal of academic honors, while students argued privacy rights versus the school’s responsibility for its students.

As always, the school makes it clear that alcohol is not welcome. In the paper bulletin, there is a warning for all students caught under the influence in I.V.’s Halloween chaos this weekend. Breathalyzer tests have accompanied all major dances for the past few years, including a body check for weapons and other illegal substances at prom. However, none of these deterrents make a difference. Students still intend on partying with alcohol this week, as always.

I think the entire system is flawed. If alcohol was legal, it could be taught to be viewed as an extra, not a necessity. Mothers Against Drunk Driving report that 50 percent of high school students claim to have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days. That statistic agrees with one from the Healthy Kids Survey conducted in secondary schools within the district. While the accuracy of students is questionable, it’s no secret that high school and college students drink-but so do adults. Alcohol addiction is a problem, but the casual consumption of booze isn’t an issue. It’s not just the law that causes students to drink so heavily, but society.

After Halloween, I expect to return to school and hear the stories of promiscuous students and their drunk escapades. I expect to be scarred from the sight of my barely-clad classmates. But unlike some, at least I’ll be able to remember it.