-386 We're in school to get an education. Not to play sports, become a musician, or become an actor/actress. amirite?

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Actually, we're in school to pursue our dreams. Whether that requires an education or not. However, educational classes are a must because everyone needs a good fallback.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

No. We're in school to learn. People can pay for private classes for music, acting, singing, etc. And people can go out for recreational sports. Extra stuff like that shouldn't be part of a high school budget. It takes away from education.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

So what you're telling me is that if I want to try and pursue my dream of becoming a famous football star or something, I have to pay all this extra money out of my parents pockets so that I can try and get better instead of getting a free learning experience at the exact place where I'm learning things in the first place?

by Anonymous 14 years ago

That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that funding for extracurricular activities should go to textbooks, other school supplies, and more teachers. You could also get a job, and help your parents pay for it or pay for it yourself. Nothing in life is free, because someone has to pay for it. If your parents pay taxes, they're already paying for you to get an education.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

I completely agree with NeverShoutTater (p.s. I love that screen name :D) sometimes, people can't afford that stuff. It's nice for people who aren't old enough to get a job and help out your parents to already be able to do those things in school. My parents aren't paying for me to have an education because my parents and possibly many other parents told me (or the child) that all they want me to do in my first year in high school is to have fun with all of the extra ciriculars and try my best because as long as I do all of those things, it brings me closer and more informed on what I actually want to do. It shows me what I'm good at for no extra cost and it helps me determine how exactly I WANT to make all of that money.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

No, it doesn't take away from education. Extensive research and numerous studies have shown that having an education in the arts (specifically music) helps students to excel in math and science. Plus, who's to say learning music isn't learning? By your logic, we shouldn't have French or Spanish in schools, either. I mean that's not academic. Music is a language just as much as French.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

I agree. What's stupid is that in some schools electives are required for all students, which means that a tone-deaf person who doesn't give a shit about it could end up in your music class, an someone who can only draw stick figures and penises ends up in my art class. I think schools are trying to hard to have everything when you can't be an actress if you can't read your script, and you can't be the next great designer/architect if you don't have a good math foundation. My only problem with extracurriculars is the fact that people get forcd into them, and because sometimes really makes students lose sight of what's MOST important. I love art, I take Spanish, I'm in every club my schools have that has anything to do with writing, but at the end of the day I'm here to learn. In ALL my classes, not just math and English or not just drama and band, everything. And go home, eventually being able to apply my skills to achieve success because I was well cultured a...

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Which then helps lead to our becoming a musician, actor, pro sports player. That's why they have drama, sports and band/AP music theory. To help us get to our dreams/goals in life. Why do we need to learn about all these things if it will never apply to our goals in life, which could quite possibly be becoming a pro football player, or actor or musician? That's why there are those extra things, just to help us become more cultured and help pursue our dreams if it falls under that category . Plus, some people can't afford to get music lessons, acting lessons, go for city rec sports(which by the way scouts hardly look at, they want the high school players because they are serious players).

by Anonymous 14 years ago

None of that should be part of the school budget. I'm aware that some people can't afford it. But if they truly had the motive and truly wanted their dreams to come true, they'd find a way to pay for everything and make their dreams a reality.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Honestly, in this economy, it's too hard to do EXTRA things. My family doesn't have those problems, but I know of people who have had to quit sports they are serious about because of money problems. With your logic, you must be saying, they should cut out culinary, all of the sports, drama, dance, PE (because you know, all you do is play sports and run, people can just do that at home, its wasting the budget in your logic), why not cut all the clubs that aren't self sustaining (kids don't really need a place to express their interests that may become their profession one day), cut all the dances including prom, (not necessary, distracts from learning), and why not cut out the optional explore classes that are not world languages (those aren't necessary, those can be learned outside of class.) See what i mean? School is just part of the path to get to our dreams, it exposes us to different things, along with learning.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

I never said PE. I was talking about mainly the sports/music/theatre program. Everything the school pays for in full. Not school dances.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

What he/she is trying to say is that with the direction that your logic is going may persuade the school board that if sports aren't important, neither is PE. If expressing yourself in clubs isn't important, why should people be able to at a dance? Do you see now?

by Anonymous 14 years ago

I'm pretty sure school boards wouldn't cut P.E. because it's part of the curriculum. Everything else is not. I never said that self-expression in clubs isn't important.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Obviously, no matter how hard you try, you aren't going to get me to see eye to eye with you. I believe that if there weren't any extra ciriculars, high school and middle school populations would be more like 200 maybe 400 if they're lucky. It's a fact that a lot of students only go to school for friends and having the oppurtunity to do what they love. But, I have to go and it was nice debating with you. Nice to know that there are still some people don't give up on their opinion when they're ganged up on or are having a tough time letting people see their perspective on the situation.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

I'm on my school's debate team, just so ya know. Nice debating you to.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

is the school debate team part of the curriculum? most likely not, cause at my school, it's optional and an afterschool club. you're basically saying that you are a part of a unnecessary and not needed activity at school. so if you are saying you should only be taught necessary things at school like English, history and science, you are going completely against your own morals.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

I am in ASB... well WSB and even in middle school, the school pays for dances. The ticket sales are just to get those funds back and gain more, obviously. But im saying, with your logic, the sports music and theatre programs are unnecessary, and not needed. What i listed above could be seen as not needed either and could be done outside of school, and by your logic, should be taken out.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

What dances can you go to out of school?

by Anonymous 14 years ago

CRC (community rec center) dances.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

What music classes can you go to outside of school? There are none, pretty much, except for extremely basic, entry level classes at summer camps for elementary school kids...and even then it's unlikely.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Actually...we should cut out p.e. (; poooiiinttlessss.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

no it actually has a point. it keeps our lazy butts fit and that helps you learn better

by Anonymous 14 years ago

"Education" is more than just Maths/English/Science. Physical Education should cover things such as health. And various arts classes teach things that couldn't be taught in other class - obviously creativity, but for things like theatre, where the actors must practice and rehearse, teaches patience. Skills are just as much a part of education as Arithmatic and Language.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

everyone who disagrees should have tried living without an education. they'd all be fucked.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Exactly. School is to get an education, so we can get a career later in life. Being an actor/musician/athlete is a career.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

But not necessarily a likely one. Now, a gym teacher? Or a band director? Plausible. I don't think that schools shouldn't have extracurriculars, just that students need to keep the classes that are the basis for ANY career in focus, because even though they want to be a NFL player now, in college they might decide to go for journalism. And that's not to mention that your English, math, basic science, and social studies classes are the building blocks of just in general being an educated, logical human being. But I strongly feel that creative activities and the arts ar what make people well-rounded human beings.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

This is why I hate full ride scholarships to great colleges for sports. No, you're going there to learn, not to play sports. Colleges are for learning, not sports.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

So then they shouldn't go to a school for a sport they are great at even though there are scouts that could make them professional? That's stupid.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

what percentage of college athletes go pro? What percentage of high school athletes become starters in college? The sad truth is that there is a VERY slim chance of this. It's more stupid to waste spots at schools for kids who will waste the opportunities there and never advance than for dedicated students who may advance society.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Yeah, but there's still that chance that some go pro. Why take away that chance for kids who don't have much else going for them anyways? And who says they will waste opportunities? Some may have a free ride to a college AND be academically strong. You don't know that those who get free rides because of sports are just wasting a spot.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Those who are both academically and athletically strong usually don't have the time to focus on both (i was thinking along the lines of research when I said opportunities). Then again, my calculus teacher was a starter on his college football team AND was a math major.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

It is ok to play sports in college, but I hate when kids get a full ride soley due to sports, yet the valedictorian or the second/third rank kids have to pay a hell of a lot money even though are much smarter than the athletes who don't have to pay a dime. If an athlete get a full on ride on academics, I have no problem with that.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

The problem with this is that without these extra ciricular activities, school would be so boring! I mean it would be so hard to be focused. nothing to look forward too in the day. "oh man, i have great endurance, where is the cross country team sign up.. damn it. well i'm also a good singer, maybe i could participate in the cho.. damn it. there has to be something fun in my schedule... period 1 - math 2, period 2 - general science 5, period 3 - english 7, lunch with limited socializing.. fun. period 4 - biology 3. oh boy. how fun. well at least i can look forward to hanging out in the friday night lights... oh. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS INSTITUTION???."

by Anonymous 14 years ago

so what you're saying is that school should be a place where kids learn all the boring stuff like math and science and english and there should be no extra curricular activities that gives them the chance to socialize, make friends and find out what they want to do with their lives. Wow that would defiantly increase the drop out rate.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

i've made plenty of friends in science and math.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

well not everybody does. some people go into extra curricular activities to meet people who have the same interests as them. It also gives kids a break from thinking about complicated equations and memorizing dates. I don't think I would have lasted through high school without band class.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

School is supposed to prepare us for a career. And we're supposed to learn about a variety of things to become well-rounded. Without electives, what would we have? Science, history, English, and math- oh, and a forgien language. But honestly, how many people go into careers of those natures? Sports and the arts are PART of our education! Part of the point of school is that we DON'T have to pay for that on our own. This really makes no sense to me. How do you consider science, history and math an important part of our education but playing an instrument not...? And how is the debate team part of the cirriculum?

by Anonymous 14 years ago

So, school would have no point for me considering I'm mainly a music and art student? That's the things I want to go into. It's what I WANT for my CAREER. I have many friends who want to go into music, arts, AND sport releated careers. I guess we all have to find something different now by your logic because our dreams and aspirations don't fit your standards.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Lol, just because you don't have a hobby or anything to make you feel special doesn't mean you should take it out on the jock/music/theatre kids.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Sports and stuff teach you real life skills like sportsmanship and working with a team

by Anonymous 14 years ago

This person probably just said that because he/she doesn't have any talent besides being smart.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Watch this....MUSIC education, THEATER education, PHYSICAL education. Hey...that looks like getting an education to me.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Oh yes, because twelve years of an academics-ONLY curriculum is sure to produce well rounded students.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

There are jobs in the arts field that are actually worthwhile (graphic designer, etc.) so we probably should be teaching art and music(for those who WANT to); however, the vast majority of art and music majors have squandered their parent's money to end up in a slum somewhere.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Uh...Where the hell did you get THAT statistic from? Listen, I'm in the music department now and doing quite well financially as well as academically. I entered college on scholarship and am able to repay most of my student loans as I take them with the money I make from teaching and performing around town, and I take this comment as a direct insult to my peers who also work extremely hard--harder than most "academic" majors by far. Just on a credit-by-credit basis, compare music education with mechanical engineering; they're the same number of credits. Guess how many hours a week a FRESHMAN music performance major is expected to practice? 21-28, or 3-4 hours a day. Then factor in your music history classes--easily several more hours a week with writing just as intensive as all of my honors classes. I've had college professors who teach English and Math say that when they took music theory courses in college, they were more difficult than some if not most

by Anonymous 14 years ago

of their major classes. Whereas an English major may have 6-8 papers to write once crunch week comes, a music major will likely have that many PERFORMANCES or more in a week. I know that as a freshman, I'm playing 6 juries in a single day--BEFORE finals. I've memorized over an hour and a half of music, learned well over 100 pages of music (probably more on the order of 150), and this is in addition to my other work. Also, of all the piano majors at my school, none are taking fewer than 20 credits a semester, even as a freshman. The mysterious "vast majority" of music and art majors you speak of simply does not exist. Though I will grant you this--most freshman music majors do not love music enough to make it into a career. I know of at least 10 students from my theory or ear training classes who have changed their majors because the program is brutal and will tax you. But you know what? The ones who stick with it and love their instrument enough to

by Anonymous 14 years ago

stick with the program until they've actually achieved a degree are by NO means wasting their parents money. They have learned and grown more than many other students of other, easier majors and they will continue to work harder and longer for less pay for essentially the rest of their lives. Sorry, but most freelance musicians don't get the luxury of early retirement. But guess what? They'll love every minute of it because they LOVE what they're doing, which is a hell of a lot more than can be said for most "practical" or "academic" studies.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Where is your proof sir? I see lots of talk, but no referenced statistics or any other sort of evidence to support what you said

by Anonymous 14 years ago

life...

by Anonymous 14 years ago

First, these extracurriculars are interconnected with math, science, and so on. Sports relate to biology, music to math, drama to language arts, etc. Also, some extracurricular activities at schools involve volunteering. Given the opportunity, a student will volunteer for the good of the community. You wouldn't go against giving back to the community, would you? WOULD YOU!?Then, there is also the fact that most (if not all) schools require a GPA requirement to join all these things. So, if a student wants to be in cross-country, for example, then that student has insentive to get his grades up. And, of course, we can't forget that colleges look for well-rounded students. That's great if they have a 4.0 GPA, but if they didn't do anything, then a college probably wouldn't accept them.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Hey did any of you notice this post is not about what should be taught in schools? But we are getting an education to get a job, and what the poster listed are all jobs. However, it is also important that as a person you have basic knowledge in the core subjects

by Anonymous 14 years ago