How far is too far? Seniors continue to protest the app, Minga, even with Graduation at stake
The graduation ceremony for the class of 2025 has been canceled due to the recent Minga riots on campus. Riots led by senior Gabriella Gomez ‘25 were in response to the new protocols enforced, deeming that Minga had access to all of the students’ personal information, including text and location history. Principal Manny Rodrigo said that, “These new laws are for the safety and well-being of all of our students, as administrators it is helpful to us to know where our students are at all times on and off campus.”
“This is not okay, it is an invasion of privacy; the last thing I need is for VHS to be snooping through my text messages. It’s not protection, it’s just creepy,” said Gomez.
Riots on campus took place from May 12, when the decision was first announced, through April 1 and are expected to continue until the end of the school year. In response to the walkouts and protests, the VHS administration has responded to these threats, claiming that if they do not stop, graduation will be canceled, and seniors will have to repeat their senior year.
Despite the threats to graduation VHS students have decided to ultimately persist in their protests. Hoping that there will not be dire effects to their graduation, which will be taking place sometime in June. Gomez continued, she said, “Of course I would still love to have our graduation ceremony but I am willing to stand up for what I believe in. I think that when it comes down to it they won’t actually take that away from us. At least I hope so.”
Minga is an app that VHS has spent close to $100,000 on. The unrest began when students had to install the app on their phones to get off campus or go to the bathroom. This quickly escalated into further protests, some even questioning the legitimacy behind spending so much money for an app, when you could use paper to do the same thing. “It is confusing to me,” said Bean Butcher ‘27, “I feel like it would make much more sense to spend that money somewhere else. Like on a new stadium or renovations to the buildings, I think if I was a senior I wouldn’t protest it though I would just want to leave.”
