Posted by a VERY old tradition!, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Aug 16, 2012 at 11:42 am

Camo for the seniors (its not for intimidation, just fun) has been a very fun tradition at Paly for years. Many seniors also decorate their cars for the first day of school. Its fun!

Posted by Mom, a resident of the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, on Aug 16, 2012 at 5:04 pm

It is a terrible tradition that seeks to intimidate younger students. How about a new tradition of kindness?

Posted by Anon., a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Aug 17, 2012 at 9:10 am

Palo Alto high school kids are pretty much idiots. Egg wars and camouflage ? ... what is wrong with these people, and I went to Paly many years ago and there was no such "tradition" so it is not a very old tradition, if the word tradition even fits.

Posted by a VERY old tradition!, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Aug 17, 2012 at 10:00 am

The camp tradition has been around at least for 10 years. Camo is green, each grade has a color for Spirit Week. Seniors are green (school color...)

Posted by Paly Parent, a member of the Palo Alto High School community, on Aug 17, 2012 at 10:27 am

Interesting follow up is that today is Freshman Friday, another Paly tradition!

Posted by Mom, a resident of the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, on Aug 18, 2012 at 6:59 am

It makes me sad to think that there were students who were anxious about going to school on Friday because of "Freshman Friday" and the possibility of hazing. Why is this behavior allowed to continue?

High school should be a place of support, not harassment.

Posted by palo alto mom, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Aug 18, 2012 at 3:32 pm

"Freshman Friday" hazing is absolutely not allowed on campus and is not condoned anywhere off campus either.

Posted by C, a member of the Palo Alto High School community, on Aug 19, 2012 at 3:39 pm

I'm a student at Paly, neither a freshman nor a senior. I have no problem with this tradition. It doesn't encourage Freshman Friday (which is near nonexistent anyway) and (at least to me) camo isn't intimidating. I plan on wearing camo my senior year.... I don't see what the problem is? Personally, I actually think it's somewhat amusing to see what outfits the seniors wear.... last year there was a kid dressed as a bush.

Posted by Crescent Park Dad, a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Aug 19, 2012 at 11:20 pm

Freshman Friday has been pretty much squashed due to the behavior from 4 years ago. Why bother bringing it up at all? As for the camo...lighten up people!

Posted by Paly Parent, a member of the Palo Alto High School community, on Aug 20, 2012 at 9:18 am

I don't think any of this is anything to worry about. I just brought it up because I think it is amusing and reminds me of my schooldays.

The camo is just a rite of passage, they have seen it for the past 3 years and now because they are top dogs in school they enjoy showing off - nothing more.

Freshman Friday is just an urban legend, nothing really happens (except a couple of things a few years ago) but is another aspect of the top dogs showing off.

What is wrong imo is dumbing down the pecking order culture and that there is no privilege with age. Those of us who are older and wiser realise that we have gone through many stages of life to get us to where we are now. We want our youth to respect us first as adults and eventually as senior citizens. Allowing them the first step of receiving this respect from their juniors is part and parcel of that process.