Ragone Apologizes for TJ Day

It was a day that started with suspender-clad students wearing taped glasses and ended with a high-profile apology letter from Langley’s principal.

Not everyone found Spirit Week’s “TJ Day” especially amusing. By week’s end, Principal Ragone had received multiple letters from upset and offended parents, students and even TJ’s principal (who feared a possible retaliation at the Homecoming game). Although the letters cited various reasons why, all centered around one main point: TJ Day was offensive.

“We live in a politically correct world, and people are overly sensitive to things like that.” Junior Kate D’Andrea explained.

Apparently, our interpretations were inaccurate as well; Nima Jahromi, a junior, said “I’ve been [to TJ], they don’t dress like we did.”

To correct this inadvertent blunder, Ragone requested that the student government association (SGA) write an explanation of their actions. He then sent out an apology letter explaining that TJ was, unfortunately, a new venue for the internal rivalry Langley traditionally experiences. His letter not only sanctioned himself and the administrative team to more closely monitoring SGA’s future plans, but also acknowledged the assorted discriminations that TJ Day imposed.

“One student rightly brought attention to the negative gender stigma Science and Math scholars carry and its negative impact on the future of women in these fields.” Ragone wrote.

Students opinions were divided on the subject; Zach Marks, a SGA senior, said “It’s ridiculous how hyped up people get about a harmless joke.”

Most students interviewed shared this opinion, like senior Angela Wertz, who claimed “We’re just poking fun at the fact that they’re smarter than us.”

Others agreed with Ragone, who made a diplomatic point by saying “It doesn’t matter what we think of the day, the important thing was that someone was offended, and that wasn’t our intent.”