Aksarben Foundation is ending its long standing tradition of naming a king and queen at it's annual ball.
The king is traditionally a prominent male community leader; and the queen, a college aged woman whose family has been a pillar in the community.
Some people have questioned the appropriateness of the pairing. Many of the people who gave feedback called the practice of the king being much older than the queen "creepy" and "out of sync with today's societal views."
Foundation spokesperson, Rob Reed, said while that observation has been made, it is not specifically the reason for retiring the tradition of naming a king and queen.
The organization's mission will not change and the ball will continue to honor people in the community for their service. It will continue naming princesses, escorts, pages, a court of honor and provide scholarships and grants to the community.
The event has been honoring a king and queen since 1895.
