Senior Assassin is an annual tradition where seniors try to “eliminate” each other, by squirting their target with a water gun. In order to keep it fair, the juniors run the game and it is only played outside of school. Additionally, players can avoid elimination by wearing a pool floatie on their arm, a rule that makes sure the game lasts longer than a week. Senior Assassin is enjoyed by many, and is a tradition that makes the end of senior year just a bit more special as students finish their time at RM. It is played at many different school’s across the country, with variants like “Word Assassin,” where you have to trick your target into saying a secret word, and “Spoon Assassin,” where you must tap your target on their shoulder with a spoon. Despite the popularity of this game, RM has attempted to crack down and outright ban it, sending out emails to parents instructing them to stop their children from playing the game, and confiscating floaties and water-guns if seen in school.
While frustrating, RM staff have some rationale for confiscating the water guns. Considering the importance of school safety, having students running around with fake guns, even if they look cartoonishly fake, could cause false alarms,confusion or even panic. While the game is already not played at school, the administration has still tried to ban the game. The school staff says that they also do not want students running around in public with fake guns.
However, in public the concern seems unreasonable as people squirting each other with water guns is not usually a cause for panic, and it seems like a serious overstep from the school to stop something students are doing at home. “Most of us are 18 already and going to college next year, so I think we’re old enough to make our own decisions, and since school is a safe zone, I don’t see why the school would need to allow it [Senior Assassin],” said senior Ilana Vainstein. When the school overreaches like this, it will make students less willing to listen when there is a truly important issue, and a real safety concern.
The game is also very fun for students, and is a part that makes senior year memorable and unique. For many students, it is an opportunity to have fun with friends they’ve made over the course of their time at RM. “Senior assassin is a great way to bond with people who I’ve known over the last few years and see people outside of school before the year ends,” said senior Anjana Tangirala. The benefit of this game, being grade unity and enjoyment for seniors, greatly outweighs some vague concern about students using water guns when not on school property. Perhaps rule changes could be considered, but this game should not be done away with. “I think senior assassin is a really fun way to end out the year and that as long as seniors are responsible and respectful of school policy there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be allowed,” said senior Naomi Olson Uri.
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