Lancaster’s Side

To sing or not to sing? That is the question. At the beginning of nearly every MIHS assembly, the school’s choir performs the National Anthem. They are consistently, and rather faithfully, accompanied by a loud chorus of upperclassmen boys who never fail to add their own rhythmically unique harmonies to the choir’s performance. This muddled, off-key insertion of voices does not convey the national pride and patriotism that they may feel — it actuallycomes across as extremely disrespectful to the choir and our student body.

“Think about how it might feel to be performing while people are yelling loudly like that,” MIHS Choir teacher Annalise Rockow said. “It doesn’t showthe performers that you respect theircontribution to the assembly.”

According to the oppositional, nationalistic high school fraternity pledge, the reason for the cult-like National Anthem sing-along is to “rally the troops” with school spirit and national pride. ButI don’t see this happening in other places like sporting events, where the crowd stays silent to honor the flag.

School spirit and national pride are important aspects of MIHS. But that doesn’t mean the student body gets to be disrespectful. Assemblies bring out the rowdiness and discourse of students, especially certain students who are passionate and energetic about the spirit of the school, aka popular seniors and juniors. A loud rabble of upperclassmen boys has a large impact on the culture of theschool and other students. While I might be oversimplifying the group of people who are singing over the choir, these students are still an influential majority.

“The impact is feeling disrespected by the student body as we work to represent ourprogram in front of the school,” Rockowsaid.

When our very own choir has a chance to show their school their talent, it is an opportunity to view the different niches of the high school, like our art, music, drama, writing, ASB and other groups. Of course, school spirit is an essential part of our community, but there are more polite ways to showcase and enhance that, such as cheering after the anthem is performed or during Maroon Wave and roll call. Let’s use the power we have as leaders to uplift the student body rather than drown each other out — or at least take some basic singing lessons so it doesn’t sound so cacophonous and dreadful.

Law’s Side

Unlike my woke counterpart, I actually enjoy my life and DON’T take everything so seriously. Singing the National Anthem during assemblies is not disrespectful; it promotes school spirit through a unified effort of everyone singing in unison.

The point of school assemblies is to “rally the troops,” to get everyone excited and pumped up with school spirit. So, what better way to start an assembly where the whole school is supposed to come together than for the entire student body to sing in a unified effort? It unites students from all walks of life, whether you’re a freshman Dweeb like Hanna Wyrwik or an upperclassman “Snail Pound king” likeCharlie Friedmen, everyone is united.

The student school handbook for the 2025-2026 school year lists “equity, inclusion, and dignity for all” as one of thecore values of MIHS. If we, as a school, truly value “inclusion” for all students, then it should be no problem for people to sing ALONGSIDE the choir during school assemblies.

“I don’t think anybody really cares … it’s not that deep,” MIHS junior and choir member Alex Wrinkla said when askedabout people singing along to the national anthem.

If choir members are even saying, “it’s not that deep,” that people sing along during the national anthem, then IT’S NOT THAT DEEP. Woke upperclassmen girls just grapple onto anything to complain about because they have no life outside of being uptight and performative teenagers.

Singing during the National Anthem at assemblies is not disrespectful; it promotes school spirit through a conjoined effort of everyone singing in unison.

– Rich Law