It’s a tradition in South Delta that goes back decades.
Hell Night is a supposed ‘rite-of-passage for Grade 12 students in Ladner and Tsawwassen where on or near the first day of school, teens hit the streets for a night of revelry.
There is underage drinking and drug use among some, some vandalize property – both public and private – as was the case last year when thousands of dollars of damage was done to several schools across the community as well as the Ladner skate park and the Delta Gymnastics Society, while some students choose to hang out with friends seeing who can stay up the longest into the wee hours of the morning.
Many students do in fact, stay up all night, and show up to school the next day either so tired that they can’t stand up or are so hung over or sick, they can’t stand up either.
Now I know what some are going to say, I’m an outsider to this community. I’m not a ‘traditionalist’ and this is a time honoured tradition here in South Delta. Let kids be kids and let them have their fun.
While I recognize all that to a point, none of these activities sound ‘fun’ to me and sound even less like a fun time amidst a world-wide global pandemic where we are all trying to reduce our exposure to COVID-19.
Earlier this week, Delta School District officials sent a letter to parents of Grade 12 students, urging them, if not pleading with them, to put a stop to Hell Night this year, citing the pandemic for one, and the eroding trust and lack of community that such an endevour brings with it as another.
I couldn’t agree more with school officials on this one.
Hell Night is a tradition that maybe once had its time, but it’s a tradition that needs to end.
