After seniors voted on their class song on Oct. 14 for their 2023 graduation, the results received negative feedback. Senior Shane Winsten questions the appropriateness of “We are Young” by fun., featuring Janelle Monae, the song chosen.

“So one of the three approved songs of the many songs that we gave suggestions for is about domestic violence?” Winsten said. “That’s not family friendly. So why are we causing issues about songs being family friendly when our options aren’t even family friendly?”

Winsten said he believes that his opinion is shared by other seniors who also are unsatisfied with the song choice, but seniors are mistakingly blaming the senior class officers.

“They’re being dealt an unfair hand by some people,” Winsten said. “People are being extremely inconsiderate to the officers because they want things that aren’t going to happen. And when they put those expectations on the officers, it’s unfair.”

Senior Class President Mitchell Cooper and other class officers were in charge of the voting process. 

Cooper said few responded to the Google Form asking for song suggestions.

“We had forms, we asked people around, we told them it couldn’t be inappropriate,” Cooper said. “We didn’t get as many responses as we could to make a decision. So we had to take it down to just stereotypical songs.”

The officers decided upon three classic songs to put in the final Google Form Cooper said. “We are Young” by fun received the most votes making it the Class Song of 2023. Principal Rick Fleming likes the song choice, but assures that he is not a part of the decision process. 

“I think that’s a wonderful song,” Fleming said. “And I think that’s a great choice. But how they got to that choice, it’d be up to the sponsor and the Senior Class president. I don’t know how they got to that choice.”

Cooper said the administration wants the Senior Class to pick their own graduation song and be a part of the process.

“They want us to come up with a song,” Cooper said. “They want us to choose our flower, to choose our motto because admin does want the Senior Class to be involved in what their graduation will be.”

While the Senior Class is given this responsibility, Fleming stresses the importance of an appropriate class song choice for graduation.

“The reflection of a class needs to be appropriate,” he said. “As the principal I reserve the right to make sure what is chosen is appropriate. A legacy for a class is everything.”

By Jolie Russo