White Trash Wednesday. The name itself is even repulsive. Every year on a particular Wednesday, usually the week our football team plays Lake Travis, many seniors carry on the tradition of White Trash Wednesday and dress up in “trashy” and “trailer park” attire. Primarily senior girls trade in their designer boots for tattered jeans and flannel shirts that hang loosely around their waists.

Honestly, it disgusts me — a bunch of stereotypical rich Westlake kids making fun of a lower socio-economic group of people. This only adds to Westlake’s reputation of being snooty. Although this year there were a smaller group of seniors that took part in dressing up, it was by far the worst I’ve seen in my three years at Westlake because of their outrageous and rather offensive outfits. While many girls take advantage of this day to wear their shortest shorts and skimpy white tanks, some girls have the audacity to show up to school with baby dolls. This year, one girl had even gone so far as to tie a string around a doll’s neck and throw it over her shoulder like an old bag. In no way is this “tradition” funny or clever.

Not only does White Trash Wednesday target lower economic classes, but it also goes deeper down and raises racial issues. Adding the “White” to White Trash Wednesday targets a single ethnic group. The fact that Westlake is predominately white doesn’t excuse the mockery of a group of people based on their race.

To make fun of a group of people due to their lack of resources is morally wrong and just outright mean. Many students who actually live in those types of conditions have no other choice but to wear ragged hand-me-downs and many have children because of poor decisions and life planning. Teen pregnancy happens at our school, too. We just hide it better because those students choose to transfer to The Learning Center or are home schooled and some have abortions.

Some people might come back at this saying, “it’s just for fun,” or “you’re being dramatic.” But I’m not. This is a serious and immoral issue going on in our school. If someone who grew up with that kind of life walked into our school that day, or even goes to Westlake, how do you think they would feel? Our school would come across as a bunch of conceited rich kids who think that just because they were born into a wealthier family means that they have the right to make fun of less fortunate people. It’s inappropriate and wrong.

Some may suggest that the administration should step in and prohibit this tradition, but that’s not the point. The point is we should be mature enough to realize that this isn’t right. We are all young adults; many of us are about to leave the house and start living our lives on our own. We should know the difference between right and wrong at this point, and adults shouldn’t still be holding our hand telling us “no, that’s bad.” Our consciences should know better. As young adults, as humans and as citizens of this world, we should be better.