You Can’t Just Facebook Everyone

SEAN NGUYEN
Staff Writer

After four years of laborious work, students across the nation and students here at AHS are traditionally given the privilege of cracking open a yearbook to find out who among the student body were chosen to receive the glory of representing their graduating class as a “Senior Best.” Yet, it is apparent that not everyone came out happy in the wake of the use of a more modern, online voting process. In a stunningly ironic display of electronic protest, a vocal group of students attempted to make it clear that Facebook is not an appropriate method of disseminating important information by voicing their fervent opinions to —Facebook.
I can understand the upset. This year’s senior class totals to 727 students. At the time of this writing, the AHS Class of 2013 Facebook page used by Senior Council and ASB to inform us about key events only comes up to 454 members. Although there may have been an increase in this year’s voter turnout, by relegating the Senior Best announcements to the online page, about 37 percent of the senior class has been potentially left out of the loop and unable to contribute to one of high school’s most defining traditions. Moreover, this number does not account for those students who are unable to regularly check Facebook, even if they maintain an account. Because Facebook was used as the primary form of communication, a sizeable group of our graduating class has been excluded from a process that they deserve to be a part of.
Still, why are those affected turning back to the very same method of communication that they are disparaging in the first place? If the students who were affected are attempting to make the point that Facebook is inadequate in successfully relaying information and including as many seniors as possible, then it is foolish and hypocritical to again rely on the same medium to demonstrate that point. Instead of relying on Facebook “likes” and comments to bolster these opinions, petitions should have been made, speeches should have been delivered and meetings should have been convened. Even if Facebook is the most direct method of voicing their disapproval, surely the students who have been denied their right to vote on Senior Bests can do more than drop a couple lines of abbreviated text.
There may be an unhealthy reliance on social media to communicate important ideas, facts and information. The ease and convenience of the Internet has become simply too alluring to ignore. This year’s Senior Best controversy is because the Internet has been allowed to replace, instead of augment, more traditional and guaranteed forms of reaching the student body.