This year’s Homecoming, the first dance of the school year, was a loud, exciting spectacle with lights, a live band, and the return of a raunchy and somewhat controversial form of dance commonly referred to as “grinding.”

Grinding, which first gained popularity in night clubs and quickly spread to high school dances, is when two or more people rub their lower bodies together in ways that some believe to be inappropriate and immodest. On Oct. 21, the party-like atmosphere of Homecoming caused grinding to be all the more prevalent.

Students at Homecoming had differing views on whether or not grinding is appropriate for school dances.

One Carlmont student, who asked to remain anonymous, stated, “I think that grinding is really gross and that most people only do it because of peer pressure, because everyone else is doing it.”

Another student who asked to remain anonymous described her views on grinding: “I think it looks really stupid. I don’t get the point of it.”

Not all people are against grinding.  A third anonymous student said, “Grinding can be fun. I think that sometimes it can go too far, but as long as it’s consensual, it’s okay.”

Jennifer Cho, a Carlmont Vice Principal, voiced her disapproval for grinding because of its sexually explicit nature: “It is not appropriate for school.”

Although grinding is frowned upon by the staff, there is little they can do about the situation. Grinding has become so widespread that it is accepted as part of school dances.

With or without the approval of students and staff, it has become evident that grinding will stick around for a long time.