On Tuesday, March 28, Westminster administration made a decision that left parents outraged and teachers confused. After much deliberation, the administration decided to put academics on the back burner to make way for the madness of March. That’s right, the sacred halls of Hawkins, Askew, and Robinson have been temporarily closed for classes, and instead, the bottom floor of Hawkins, renamed “Bawk” (by senior Mac Otter), has been transformed into a space intended to enjoy the March Madness games for the entire day.
Senior boys, led by stud basketball player Wayes Peril, hosted a March Madness watch party (of course, reorganizing stair chairs and seats to accommodate the entire student body). The games of the day included matchups in the Sweet 16 between Clemson (6) and Arizona (2), San Diego State (5) and UConn (1), Alabama (4) and UNC (1), and Illinois (3) and Iowa State (2). On this day only, deans Kamille Harless and Brooks Batcheller gave students the golden pass to skip class and indulge in the spectacle of Match Madness.
Although students have appreciated the time off from classes, there has been a debate amongst parents about the lack of priority given to education, especially at such a prestigious institution. However, some students argue that the science of “bracketology” and the statistics involved are both inline with Westminster’s history of loving challenge and leading change.
While some parents are up in arms about the new prioritization of basketball over biology, others view it as a positive way for their children to experience the camaraderie of team spirit.
“Education is important, but so is competition, having fun, and making memories in the company of your grade,” argued parent Carol Smith.
Yet, despite all the fuss, it was only a day. Therefore, as the last buzzer sounded, echoing throughout the halls of Bawk, students reluctantly headed towards the deck and the Kent field parking lot. All of them dreaded the day of classes that awaited them the following day. Only time will tell if the sacrifice of a day’s worth of academic instruction was worth the thrill of March Madness.
The infamous decision of Harless and Batcheller to cancel classes for March Madness may go down in history as either a stroke of genius or a glaring misstep. But one thing is for sure: the echoes of basketballs bouncing, fans cheering, and whistles blowing will linger in the halls of Bawk long after the final whistle blew, reminding students and parents alike that sometimes, education takes a backseat to the madness of March.
