MULTICULTURAL MONDAY MISSING?

Kierstin Phillips

Multicultural Monday has been cancelled for this year’s homecoming week, sparking controversy among students.

Mahek Shaikh and Sania Shaukat

Despite the overall positive reaction that Multicultural Monday received last year, it unfortunately will not be making a reappearance in the homecoming themes. Last year, its debut sparked much delight and enthusiasm among many students who were excited to showcase their cultures to the rest of the student body. Its departure left many Noles looking forward to its return again this year, expecting it to be an ongoing theme. Instead, this year’s homecoming themes reverted back to the original America day, minus the multicultural twist.

The absence of Multicultural Monday triggered much debate as to why the homecoming theme is not making a reappearance this year. Many believed it was due to the controversy that occurred in response to the diverse display of cultural fashions last year.

A former student who graduated in the class of 2017, said, “Some girl came up to me on Multicultural Monday [last year] and said, ‘This is ‘Merica Monday as in we are supposed to be representing America. If you want to wear your country’s clothes that badly, then go back to the place you are originally from and wear it there.’”

Leadership is in charge of deciding the homecoming themes each year. They are tasked with the difficult decision of determining which themes will be favored by the majority of students. Although there has been speculation that leadership omitted this theme due to the controversy last year, leadership denies these claims.

Student Body President, Iffat Nawsheen said, “There honestly is no correlation between why we are not having Multicultural Monday this year and the controversy that occurred last year.”

This year’s homecoming week presents each day of the week as a stop on our “Great American Road Trip.”

“Multicultural Monday [didn’t] fit into our theme as a state or a place that you could visit, [which is why it hasn’t made a reappearance again this year],” Nawsheen added.

Junior Vy Nguyen said, “I’m really sad about…the removal of Multicultural Monday and replacing it with an American day. I think that it’s odd to have an American day rather than Multicultural Monday (or any day in general), considering that America is supposed to be multicultural in the first place.” 

All things considered, many Noles were disheartened after this year’s homecoming themes were announced and Multicultural Monday was not included.This experience now will be missed by numerous individuals who believed Multicultural Monday as a homecoming theme added excitement to the Seminole High School campus as many were able to display their cultures.

“America is multicultural, and what better way to represent it than to have a day where everyone can share [their culture] with others,” added Nguyen.