Mundelein High again skips class spirit contest

For the second consecutive year, Mundelein High School's homecoming week festivities will not include a class spirit day pitting teens against each other.

School officials said the once-traditional event - in which students would wear colors representing their status as seniors, juniors, sophomores or freshmen - is gone for good.

"We don't have color wars," Mundelein High School District 120 Superintendent Jody Ware said. "We're moving on."

Homecoming activities are scheduled to begin Sept. 18 and end Sept. 26.

Ware said she is not expecting the same kind of civil disobedience that occurred last year because of the event's cancellation. Some seniors wore black shirts with oranges to represent their traditional Spirit Day color despite being told such shirts were off limits.

Several students were suspended, Ware confirmed.

This year, however, the homecoming events were chosen by a student group and have been posted on the district's Web site, mundeleinmustangs.com.

"We're here to make this a very positive week celebrating the students of Mundelein High School, both former and present," Ware said. "I think we have planned a very positive week."

Spirit Day was canceled last year because students in 2007 damaged school property and other students' clothes with paint, officials said at the time. Bullying was reported, too.

"The tradition they had for years had gotten out of hand," District 120 board member Karen Havlik said. "It was planned craziness."

This year's freshmen and sophomores are too young to have experienced a color war at Mundelein High, Havlik said. She hopes students will create new and better homecoming traditions.

Board member Chris Doerr said he isn't worried about students not following the homecoming fashion rules this year.

"I have no concerns at all," he said. "We have very positive and exciting activities planned."

The day that replaced Spirit Day last year, Twin Day, has been removed from the schedule. It'll be replaced by Tie-Dye Day.

Additionally, this year's homecoming calendar includes an "MHS Spirit Day" in which teens and staff will be encouraged to wear school colors.