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Football's the reason I dropped band when I no longer needed an arts elective. I'd have stayed in all four years, otherwise. Being required to waste an entire

Football's the reason I dropped band when I no longer needed an arts elective. I'd have stayed in all four years, otherwise. Being required to waste an entire evening at a football game to play for a few minutes here and there was insulting. I'm pretty sure it's also the reason the curriculum was built almost entirely around the microscopic musical niche of marching band, rather than instruments & skills that were more likely to be useful in life beyond college.

brightball 4y ago
The more I keep reading replies to my comments the more I'm realizing what a great high school I must have gone too. Our marching band always got superior ratings every year in their own competitions and had a blast playing throughout all of the games. Everybody in our band seemed to have a great time with it, especially the drummers.
- taeric 4y ago
  This is classic survivor and selection bias. You likely didn't notice all of the people sidelined by this. I suspect selection bias also plays in to all of the negativity. But variety reigns and places that had more offerings almost certainly had more success.
  - brightball 4y ago
    How could someone be sidelined by this? EDIT: Since we've hit the reply nesting limit. I still don't see how having an activity that involves so many people sidelines anyone or how a lack of that activity would improve the involvement? I can't think of any school sanctioned activities that discriminated against any student based on their appearance, even cheer. I had giant glasses that slid down my nose, a belly and braces. Believe me, the only thing that kept me from feeling included was my own perception of myself. Having coaches and a routine that forced me to exercise and lift weights was one of the best things I ever did.
    - taeric 4y ago
      How many ugly people do you remember that excelled at your school? Awkward people? Anyone that didn't have the support of being otherwise successful? Edit: if you click the timestamp on a post, you can reply to it. :) Having an activity vacuum up all the money from any alternative sidelines folks. Did you have a thriving chess club? Go? Math or spelling bee?
      - brightball 4y ago
        Thanks for the reply tip. :-) I honestly don't remember. I know we did have a chess club. We had "Mathletes" that was very popular. A lot of people were involved in it.
        taeric 4y ago
        It is certainly possible that you also had a great school and environment. They do exist. :)
        brightball 4y ago
        More and more, it sounds that way. At one of three 4A public high schools in a mid-size town in South Carolina no less.

brightball 4y ago

The more I keep reading replies to my comments the more I'm realizing what a great high school I must have gone too. Our marching band always got superior ratings every year in their own competitions and had a blast playing throughout all of the games. Everybody in our band seemed to have a great time with it, especially the drummers.

taeric 4y ago
This is classic survivor and selection bias. You likely didn't notice all of the people sidelined by this. I suspect selection bias also plays in to all of the negativity. But variety reigns and places that had more offerings almost certainly had more success.
- brightball 4y ago
  How could someone be sidelined by this? EDIT: Since we've hit the reply nesting limit. I still don't see how having an activity that involves so many people sidelines anyone or how a lack of that activity would improve the involvement? I can't think of any school sanctioned activities that discriminated against any student based on their appearance, even cheer. I had giant glasses that slid down my nose, a belly and braces. Believe me, the only thing that kept me from feeling included was my own perception of myself. Having coaches and a routine that forced me to exercise and lift weights was one of the best things I ever did.
  - taeric 4y ago
    How many ugly people do you remember that excelled at your school? Awkward people? Anyone that didn't have the support of being otherwise successful? Edit: if you click the timestamp on a post, you can reply to it. :) Having an activity vacuum up all the money from any alternative sidelines folks. Did you have a thriving chess club? Go? Math or spelling bee?
    - brightball 4y ago
      Thanks for the reply tip. :-) I honestly don't remember. I know we did have a chess club. We had "Mathletes" that was very popular. A lot of people were involved in it.
      - taeric 4y ago
        It is certainly possible that you also had a great school and environment. They do exist. :)
        brightball 4y ago
        More and more, it sounds that way. At one of three 4A public high schools in a mid-size town in South Carolina no less.