I think that though secret societies exist on campus, they are not a vital part of the Deerfield community or lifestyle. However, I do believe they are a tradition for both guys and girls on campus. I find them to be sort of like the brotherhoods or sisterhoods in college, where only certain people make it, but it doesn’t really affect those not included.
Recently, the topic has come up more frequently, and only few have expressed contempt for these select societies because of their exclusivity. Nonetheless, I don’t find their “exclusivity” to be a problem solely because what they do has no effect on the community, if in fact they do anything at all. To call them exclusive is to call every college fraternity and sorority in the country exclusive.
In the beginning, I can see why the administration would’ve been worried because the founding values of these societies are very troubling and extreme. But I think it is safe to say those values have evolved, and with the open-minded and kind-hearted people that can be found in the community today, I think we can all agree that these societies are no harm to the community and Deerfield culture.
The administration’s newfound interest in breaking up these groups, I feel, is something of a waste of time. There are bigger issues to worry about. The administration is purposely targeting people who aren’t doing anything wrong–and to be quite honest are these groups even secret anymore? To the student body secret societies have become such a common topic of discussion that most have formed some idea of who’s in these groups and no one really cares.
With little to no effect on the Deerfield community, these secret societies are harmless, and for this reason they should be left alone.