A playful high school rivalry can easily be taken a bit too far.

On Nov. 7, the Granite Bay High School football team played Del Oro High School. The game took place on GBHS’ home field, so the Tribe, the student-led spirit group of GBHS, was in attendance. And believe me, it was ever-so-present.

The Tribe and the Black Hole, DOHS’ student section, have a long history of rivalry. In recent years, the rivalry has become quite brutal with the painting of the stone grizzly in front of GBHS, resulting in the inscription of insulting profanity on the DOHS  football field.

But nothing compares with the most recent acts of rivalry.

On Nov. 7 the Tribe held a “rich-out.” It represented itself by dressing “rich,” personifying the wealthy Granite Bay stereotype and mocking DOHS’ rural location and farm-like persona.

Girls wore dresses and fur, while boys wore suits and ties.

The Black Hole responded by representing their hillbilly-esque, farmer stereotype.

They were seen wearing cargo and camouflage, playing right into their negative image as well.

As a student at GBHS, I am unbelievably disappointed by the actions of my peers.

I can’t deny that Granite Bay is a wealthy and affluent community. It’s a demographically-proven fact. However, I can say that Granite Bay is not its stereotype.

Well, I used to be able to say that. The recent actions of the Tribe are causing doubts.

Almost everyone I encounter at GBHS and in the Granite Bay community is friendly and cordial. Yes, they’re wealthy, but they don’t tend to flaunt it.

Occasionally, I come across someone unfriendly or someone who proudly displays their wealth, but that’s typically an anomaly.

I transferred here during my sophomore year, and it was a smooth transition because the students were incredibly friendly.

Granite Bay, overall, is a friendly community that doesn’t play into its stereotype. I guess its high school students didn’t get the memo.

Granite Bay, unfortunately, has a negative stereotype of being rich and nasty. But – news flash – you can rise above it. A stereotype doesn’t define you, and it never should.

If stereotypes provided definition, Joan of Arc would’ve been a peasant; Abraham Lincoln would’ve been uneducated.

Stereotypes don’t set the precedent – though they demand to be proven, you can rise above them.

That’s exactly why I’m so embarrassed by the “rich-out.” The Tribe was presented with the opportunity to rise above the Granite Bay stereotype, but it chose to give in.

There was an opportunity to show DOHS that GBHS is so much more than its stereotype.

The Tribe could’ve shown that GBHS is an incredible school with an abundance of integrity. They could’ve shown GBHS for what it truly is.

Now, that opportunity is gone.

Not only did the Tribe fulfill the Granite Bay stereotype, its actions were horrifically inconsiderate. I was completely ashamed by the rudeness of the “rich-out”.

Holding up signs that read, “My dad bought this sign” and “The most expensive car at Del Oro is a John Deere tractor,” is incredibly offensive.

I don’t think my peers realized that actual DOHS students and parents would read their signage and, naturally, be taken aback.

And hanging money off your clothes isn’t any better – it’s extremely rude. By putting hundred-dollar bills on your clothes, are you insinuating that Del Oro and the Loomis communities don’t have money? Because that’s completely false.

I’m bothered how trivial the “rich-out” was to the Tribe. It had no problem blatantly dissing Del Oro and the surrounding communities.

And sorry, Tribe, but I’ve been told you looked more like the Flintstones than rich Granite Bay residents.