Every March 17, students across the country come to school wearing bright green hoodies, shamrock earrings, or last-minute green clothing to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. In places like Chicago, the rivers turn green. On school grounds nationwide, the celebration looks a little different. In between the hallways and classrooms, students not wearing green remain on the lookout to not get pinched.

The rule is simple: If you aren’t wearing green, you get pinched. 

At first glance, the tradition seems harmless. You give someone a quick pinch for not wearing green, you laugh about it, and go about your day. Many students accept this as a St. Patrick’s Day norm. But in a school setting where respecting personal space is preached daily, it seems a little counterintuitive.

A pinch is still physical contact, regardless of intent. When it happens without permission, it raises an important issue: consent. Consent doesn’t only matter for serious situations; it applies to everyday interactions, including seemingly meaningless gestures surrounding holiday traditions. 

Every student has a right to decide who can touch them and when. When we create a precedent of excusing unwanted physical contact as “just a joke” or part of the holiday tradition, we throw out the boundaries established for a day, just to be expected to follow those boundaries again for the rest of the year. 

Schools set up clear rules about personal space, meant to create a safe space for all students to learn without the threat of fellow students. When we excuse breaches in personal space for one day of the year, the message becomes inconsistent. We cannot say “keep your hands to yourself” on March 16, then turn around and pinch whoever on St. Paddy’s Day. 

There’s also an issue about participation and pressure. Not everyone celebrates the holiday; some students don’t want to wear green, some students forget to wear green, and some students don’t own green clothing of any kind. Pinching kids can lead to singling them out, making them targets for a day. What may have started as an innocent pinch can turn into several pinches across all of their classes. 

Regardless of intention, the experience isn’t the same for everyone. Some students may laugh along to avoid the attention. Others may feel uncomfortable and aren’t sure how to speak up about the situation when they are touched against their will. In a school community, traditions should always be inclusive, not exclusive. 

Doing away with the pinch shouldn’t take away from the fun of the holiday. Students can dress up, clubs can still host themed activities, and teachers can still decorate their classrooms. If someone forgets to wear green, a small gesture like giving them a green sticker or something can keep the mood light while still instilling a sense of St. Patrick’s spirit within students. 

At Rancho Cucamonga High School, we’ve always been taught to be respectful, kind, and respect others’ space, and the pinching on one day of the year goes against these teachings. We should do away with pinching and continue to create a safe environment for students every day of the year.