This week is Homecoming week at Iowa State, and although ISU doesn’t have a king and queen anymore, most of us remember voting for Homecoming Court in high school.

Usually, the voting comes down to a popularity contest, with the “coolest” people representing the school as king and queen.

The student council at Woodward-Granger tried to change that tradition.

The council members decided students elected to Homecoming Court would have to meet certain requirements.

To be considered for Homecoming king or queen, students had to have passing grades in four classes, be involved in at least one extracurricular activity and have no suspensions during their junior and senior years.

The students have been criticized for their decision, however.

Some argue that members of Homecoming Court should represent their schools well, and it is an honor that should only be bestowed on diligent students.

However, some students take challenging classes and work hard but don’t get good grades.

Should these students be penalized for their efforts?

In some schools, students can get a suspension just for being late to class.

Does being late make someone unworthy of donning a paper crown and brandishing a scepter?

This isn’t a scholarship at stake.

Usually, the responsibilities of the Homecoming king and queen include smiling, getting their pictures taken for the local newspaper and the yearbook, waving at the crowd and perhaps leading a dance.

If it’s a popularity contest, it’s a popularity contest. The elections should still be democratic.

Students know what they are doing when they vote for king and queen.

They know what other students get for grades, what they do after school and on weekends.

If they don’t want to vote for the party animals, they won’t.

If one third of the candidates are eliminated from the competition because they don’t meet the requirements, the majority of students will just pick the “coolest” people left.

Choosing members of high school Homecoming Courts should be left to the students.