Imagine trying to do the cha-cha slide and getting bumped on the hip by a couple grinding. If this has ever happened to you, you have probably been to Formal: the wonderful dance where everyone dresses up and takes fantastic photos. As joyful as Formal really is with the nice dinners, girls doing their dramatic makeup, and boys trying to figure out how to tie neckties, there is always a downside to Formal, such as blisters on the feet from new shoes, burns from curling irons, and depending on who you are, grinding.

One of the school counselors and part of student assembly, Mr Taube, shared his thoughts on grinding.

“We [teachers] feel like you guys are almost like our kids, and seeing your kids doing that is kind of disappointing,” Taube said. “But it’s my job as a counselor to help kids with either things that have happened to them or choices they have made that are destructive without making them feel guilt.”

An East student shared her thoughts on grinding.

“It is really just for fun, but I understand how it’s inappropriate,” the anonymous student said. “But if it was so inappropriate, why aren’t they stopping us?”

Some of the teachers at East don’t approve of grinding, but feel like it’s best to not comment on it.

“I have a relationship with these kids,” Taube said. “I would hate to ruin that relationship because I told them they shouldn’t grind and make them almost feel like they can’t come to me for help. I’ve talked to other teachers about this too, and they feel similar.”

Grinding is seen as a social norm at East’s Formal, and other schools’ Formals. It is not really frowned upon, but almost encouraged within the students.

“I think that maybe we should really crack down on it, maybe by even using different music.” Taube states.

An East student who is against grinding said: “I really feel like Formal would just be a lot of fun if grinding wasn’t a part of it. I would personally like to see a change.”