It’s not unusual for there to be a group of senior boys who lead chants at football games and run across the field before the team. This group usually takes on the title of the “Golden Army”. Their twitter page, though claiming that they are “not affiliated with Burke Athletics or Administration,” seemed to receive support from Burke principal Gaye Lannan after she mentioned the Golden Army in multiple supportive tweets, and even recently, tweeting her approval that they were cheering on Burke at the homecoming football game. Despite this praise, the Golden Army’s twitter is not always the best representation of Burke. Their page has many unsportsmanlike comments with tweets calling Central’s Seeman Stadium “Semen Stadium” and tweeting that they “Smacked the shit out of North” among other inappropriate tweets.  

There are many issues involved with the Golden Army besides their inappropriate Twitter feed. Every member of the Golden Army is a boy. There is not a single female in the group, and that unequal representation is not something that should be supported by Burke.  Another group called the “Pink Army” has attempted to emerge being the female equivalent of the Golden Army, but at the North game, multiple students have claimed that the Golden Army was calling the Pink Army “scissor sisters” and “dykes.” It was also reported they yelled, “Get off your knees Pink Army, you’re blowing the game.” Very recently it was overheard that a Golden Army member was complaining about the Pink Army and stating, “Don’t start with that Pink Army bullshit.” Burke has already had their homecoming game and we’re still dealing with all kinds of hateful comments. One student of the Golden Army allegedly screamed, “If anyone does another chant by the pink army, you can get the fuck out of my student section.”  

Administration and the Golden Army’s Twitter both claim that they are not affiliated with each other, but their actions do not convey the same message. If they are not an official Burke organization, why is the Golden Army given the privileges of running across the field at football games? If the administration and even our principal is interacting with the Golden Army and supporting them, then why are they not made into an official Burke organized group and forced to follow the guidelines of said groups. Also, why is our principal supporting a group of boys that allegedly called a bunch of girl’s homophobic comments? If the Burke administration is going to publicly show support and allow privileges to the Golden Army, then they should hold them to the same standards of any other school group. They should have a school sponsor and have their tweets approved.  

The Burke student section should be a place of coming together and supporting our football team not somewhere that people feel uncomfortable to support Burke football. Those in the Golden Army are not chosen thorough an application process. It has seems to be just the friends of past boys who have done the same thing. If administration is allowing the Golden Army to lead our chants and run across the field, the Burke administration should have a faculty member to mentor and keep tabs on the group to keep them school appropriate as well as requiring some sort of an appropriate application process. Allow any student to apply for this prestigious position. Have them come support ALL of our sports teams and not just a select few. Make them support and encourage the best aspects of Burke and make it be something ALL students can relate to and be proud. If administration doesn’t want to do that, then they should stop supporting and encouraging them. The Golden Army has such amazing potential. They could be so inspirational and show amazing school spirit, but this negativity and hate leaves many feeling unhappy with how our school is being portrayed.