Just a Message from a Concerned Student

[Katyrna]

~~I want to take a little time to post something that will give me peace of mind and hopefully give some people a better perspective. Let me explain. I warn you it may come off as a rant. Alright, it just might BE a rant. BEWARE, for it is long, but I don't think I've ever had one of these, so please just indulge me.~~

My school had a referendum yesterday. It failed. Again. No big deal, right? Try again. Our class periods are reduced to 6 a day. Instead of 7, EVERYONE has either a study hall or a late arrival option. Since gym is mandatory every single year, there's no relief. We get one elective class now. What about the people who are in band and a foreign language? What about the chorus people, huh? Look, I'm already going to have to take summer school for a one semester required business course with a 7 period day. What happens with 6? Because of this, today many of teachers--like my Foods teacher--were given the message that they were to be laid off. If the referendum had passed, it is unlikely these measures would have had to have been taken.

Clubs? Two options. Either all clubs are self-supporting (which is darn fine with me), or every club has to have a fee paid by all members, somewhere around $50. I'm not paying $50 to go to anime club or Spanish Club. My Spanish Club teacher says we might as well just throw a huge party, a REAL PARTY with a DJ and everything with the Spanish Club funds (about $1000) because there probably won't BE a club next year.

Our Poms were state champs for the last 4 years IN A ROW. They're gone. Poof. Our band? My band? We won state 2 years ago, and might have won last year if not for us being unable to compete according to Superstate rules. We have an awesome marching band consisting of about 160 members, and we love it. They don't have to make us DO anything; we do it ourselves because we want to. Our director of 33 years is retiring this year, and our other director is going to be shared with the other schools in the district along with another director. Beginning and Concert Band II are being cut; two bands remain. Barely, since enrollment has at least halved. Some people can't afford to stay. Theater (which is another of the better aspects of our school) is drastically reduced in funds, our chorus groups are practically down to zilcho, sports like badminton are being ELIMINATED, and stuff like football is being halved in people and resources. Sad because the smaller sports are where we get our acclaim.

And another thing? You'd figure most of the student body'd be apathetic, 'cause hey, we're just kids, right? Well, we talked about it in English class, in Spanish, in Foods, in Band, in Math, and at lunch, everyone expressing their disappointment, sadness, and anger. We've tried so hard to inform people over the last months and to make them understand, and it was all for nothing. A rally, two times where the band members played by the train station, handouts placed by students in doors across all the towns, and so much more...

I am in no way exaggerating when I say that dreams were destroyed today, since I heard the evidence myself. People who wanted to be a part of the music program can't because they can't meet state and school requirements anymore. Same for business, art, and tech people. A few people are moving, some here and there are switching schools, because we are now the only district in the county to have 6 class periods.

Why did I post this? One, for my own relief I will willingly admit. The other is to inform you. What if this happened to you when you were in school? What if this happens to those of you now? Many people voted no just because they did not want to give up the money from the tax increase. I would never say all voters, because I'm sure some people had very good reasons. But many didn't. And that's what hurts. It's not about them. It's about US and our future this time. So I plead with those of you who can vote, if you have a similar situation in your area, get informed next time. Don't vote on a whim. Because you know what? It honestly makes a difference. It really can change people's lives. Thanks for listening!

[Link2000]

The point of school is to educate you, not to form extracirriculars.

6 classes in one day seems way too large. Up here we have 4 per semester (So 8 for one year.)

Most schools don't have clubs like badminton, quit complaining.

I agree that Phys. Ed should be optional.

[Katyrna]

7 classes, 50 minutes each. A 25 minute lunch. 7:35-2:30 PM. I don't think that's too long. Badminton is a sport at our school, and I know someone who it directly effects. And some people live for theater, chorus and band. It's not just about having fun. It's about having a driving force, and especially about doing something you love. Like all schools, we have a set number of requirements. We have to have gym for three years, health and driver's education for another. We also have consumer economics, business, art, and speech/theater requirements. There are other basic requirements that we must meet as well.

We have 7 classes, the entire year. The schedule never changes except at semester, and that's for things like electives. Which aren't usually electives, since we generally use these slots for required courses. You're right, school is about learning. But if it was just about going through each day, attending only academic classes, never talking to anyone, never doing anything else, I'd say that was a pretty wasted experience. So I must disagree with you partially.

[imported_Andrew]

6 classes is not a lot... are you on block scheduling? My school has 7 a day, and I think our Jr. High is 10 a day.

Badminton cut? THIS IS AN OUTRAGE.

Seriously though, that sucks, EC's make school semi-tolerable. Except band, which makes it hell (my school's band anyway).

[Link2000]

So that's like 7 credits in one year? Then it's probably too low to begin with.

Requiring any of those courses you said makes almost no sense at all. For example, let's look at driver's ed. Our shcool offers it optional, but many students, such as myself, choose to take private courses because they'll save me more on isurance later. If the school forced me to waste a credit there I'd be pretty pissed off. Same with art, business etc. If I have no intrest on pursuing a career in Business, why should I be forced to take it? (Personally, I do take the elective business courses that we have.)

Have a life outside of school then. You can talk and walk around on your lunch (at least I hope you can.)I'm not saying eliminate the programs, but funding for them should be cut. Let teachers get free access to school facilities for things like an anime club. We have one, and the cost for running it? 0 dollars. They do go to conventions, which they might have to pay for a bus. Now there are certain situations where mroe funding is appropriate, such as a large drama production. Nothing can be free though.

And plus, they have all of this outside of school anyway.

[The Missing Link]

Originally posted by Link2000:
The point of school is to educate you, not to form extracirriculars.

You have no clue, L2K.

I will agree, one of the purposes of a school is to teach, that I'll agree. But I'm pretty sure I have it nailed on the head that it's the word "to teach" comes from a Greek (Latin?) word that means "to bring forth from within". Teaching isn't about giving facts and figures to people, and anyone who believes that is a sure sign of failure of our educational system; teaching is about getting kids to think for themselves, for them to begin their journey through life under their own passions and desires.

To say that extracurriculars does not contribute to that goal is silly. Personally, I think that extracurriculars are CRITICAL in school because they teach so many things that just can't be taught elsewise. You've got leadership skills from being officers in clubs, community service from groups so inclined, language skills from foreign language clubs, art from music, art, and drama clubs, not to mention several real-life pluses such as learning how to lay out a magazine, gazing up at the stars, and working with other people. When a school is forced to abandon that because of monetary concerns, this isn't just a ho-hum event; it is a tragedy.

6 classes in one day seems way too large. Up here we have 4 per semester (So 8 for one year.)

That's because you're on "block scheduling". The more traditional scheduling system is 7 classes for a day year round (with several half-year classes), giving you the possibility of more than 7 classes (albeit still 7 credits). I personally was on the seven-class system and liked it. Sure, the block scheduling system is more like college, but at the same time, I think it's better to have your time in a class spread out throughout the entire year. My personal preference.


"There are some who call me... Link?"
"Carpe Gaium Domesticum!" (Seize the Cucco!)
Zelda: The Grand Adventures | Triforce MUCK
ザ行方不明リンク
悪いユウモアの賢人

[Katyrna]

Thank you, TML. Thank you very much. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Originally posted by Link2000:
So that's like 7 credits in one year? Then it's probably too low to begin with.

Requiring any of those courses you said makes almost no sense at all. For example, let's look at driver's ed. Our shcool offers it optional, but many students, such as myself, choose to take private courses because they'll save me more on isurance later. If the school forced me to waste a credit there I'd be pretty pissed off. Same with art, business etc. If I have no intrest on pursuing a career in Business, why should I be forced to take it? (Personally, I do take the elective business courses that we have.)

I do agree with you on this point. Practically everyone I know agrees. Regardless, we have no choice. So we must make do with what we have, which suffice to say has become very little.

I do have a life outside of normal class, consisting of Band, Spanish Club, Anime Club, and Ramblings, the literary newspaper. Like aforementioned, I believe it is totally fair to have self-sufficient clubs. If they go the road of making every club member pay, I honestly don't know what I'd do.

And sorry, ShyGuy, about your band making life a living hell. You should come to our school! =] We won't last much longer though.

[ April 06, 2005, 07:10 PM: Message edited by: Katyrna ]

[CaptHayfever]

^^My high school mixed the best of both worlds: Alternating Block Schedule. A-Days were classes 1-4; B-Days were 5-8. Switched everyday for the year.

Let's not forget, L2K, colleges LOVE kids with extracurriculars.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

[The Missing Link]

^ That wouldn't be too bad, actually. That's actually the "true" college system right there.


"There are some who call me... Link?"
"Carpe Gaium Domesticum!" (Seize the Cucco!)
Zelda: The Grand Adventures | Triforce MUCK
ザ行方不明リンク
悪いユウモアの賢人

[[sage]]

We have 8 classes, one period is always lunch (5th or 6th)

[Katyrna]

^^I agree, that sounds pretty nice.

Our schedule is... Well, just sorta weird. Here's our school's scheduling, with five minute passing periods in between each class:

1st: 7:35-8:25
2nd: 8:30-9:25 (5 minutes of announcements)
3rd: 9:30-10:20
4th: 10:25-10:50 LUNCH
5th: 10:55-11:15
6th: 11:20-11:45 LUNCH
7th: 11:50-12:10
8th: 12:15-12:40 LUNCH
9th: 12:45-1:35
10th: 1:40-2:30

We have 7 classes a day, but 10 periods. For example, I have 4th period lunch (darn early too!), so I have Symphonic Band 5/6 and Foods 7/8. Then there's normal scheduling for 9th and 10th period. Other people have a class during 4/5 and have lunch 6th, or have 4/5 and 6/7 followed by 8th period lunch. It's confusing to explain, but you get used to it quickly. Anybody else have anything similar?

[The Missing Link]

^ The school where my mum teaches has that schedule now.

I can't remember our exact schedule. It's been too long ago. I remember starting around 7:18 and getting out at 2:10. We had something like 49-minute classes with 4 minutes between them. Oh yeah, and also 5th period was like an hour and a half long with three lunches; basically you had lunch during the half hours and the rest of it was class time.


"There are some who call me... Link?"
"Carpe Gaium Domesticum!" (Seize the Cucco!)
Zelda: The Grand Adventures | Triforce MUCK
ザ行方不明リンク
悪いユウモアの賢人

[SuperLuigi64]

Heh.....my school was so damn small, the only bit of extracurricular activity we had was alternating between basketball and base/softball [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Actually, I take that back. I was on the Quiz Bowl team [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Princess Zelda of Hyrule]

The point of school is to educate you, not to form extracirriculars.

What's with this idea that the arts are useless? Who says they're not part of an education? I'm lucky to come from a community that has a lot of youth choirs and orchestras, but what about those who aren't? If school is meant to prepare people for the career of their dreams, why should it provide an outlet for young mathemeticians and scientists to build their talents, but not young artists?

I'm in choir, orchestra, yearbook, crafts, the musical, and Christian Fellowship. I don't do any sports, and I took gym over the summer.

[ April 12, 2005, 08:29 PM: Message edited by: Princess Zelda of Hyrule ]