Andy and Megan Geary host an annual holiday party, usually with a fun theme. This year was no different, as the couple organized another fun gathering for almost 100 friends and neighbors. It is an adult-only party that usually goes into the morning and sometimes gets a little out of hand. “I think sometimes people forget they are not in college anymore,” says Megan. “But, it’s totally fine, and we always have a blast with our friends.” This year, the party ended earlier and was a lot more somber than in years past.
“About 9:30 one of the parents had enough booze to make her feel everyone should hear her opinion on the school zoning issue,” said Megan. “First, someone respectfully disagreed, then someone disrespectfully disagreed, and it just kind of got ugly from there.” Andy mentioned the party closed out much earlier than usual, with people just kind of sneaking out. “We knew the disagreement killed the buzz for a lot of people,” said Andy. “And for the people that stayed late, all they did was argue the rest of the night with their arguments getting less and less coherent.” Looking back, the Gearys wish they would have put a simple disclaimer on the Evite. “I could have said, ‘please no school boundary talk,’ but I thought it was understood.”
The Gearys are not the only Stapleton Holiday party to be foiled by boundary discussions. At least 16 other reported parties were ruined by the same topic, with more reports expected to come. “We had never had something like that come up at a party before,” said party host Jen Williams. “Even in election years, people rarely talk politics, and if they do, most people in Stapleton are in the same camp, so not much of an argument for those.”
Williams recommends party hosts have a reminder on the Evite letting guests know they cannot talk about the boundary issue. “I am sure it would have helped us. You don’t want to verbally remind them at the party, because that will seem like an invitation to talk about it. At this point, I just want someone to make a decision and go with it so I don’t have to hear about it anymore.”
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