Wyatt+M’s+OpEd+Article

Wyatt M.
 * The Ostracism of "Foothillians"

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I've been staring at a blank Microsoft Word document for far longer than I’d hoped. A small, blinking, menacing cursor has been taunting me. My ideas for this OpEd piece have greatly narrowed, seeing as topics I’d wished to have discussed (something music related)—hoping to be original, have already been covered. So, perusing for “the next best thing” that I could passionately express my contempt for is the ostracism of FTHS students.

This all stems from 8th grade, when I entered the lottery for admission into Foothill. In the final days of 8th grade, amongst the crying and yearbook signing; a few of my teachers had asked, “Why are you going to Foothill?!”…not to mention, they did so, in disgust. It seems to me that even the thought of wanting to attend Foothill was unthinkable. And such ill-feelings toward Foothill ensued. "Why go to Foothill, what does it have to offer? Well, why go to Foothill? I'll tell you why. It's academically-oriented, preparing each, and every student (willing to learn) to learn skills that will adhere to their daily lives—benefiting them. Invigorating every student to to excel—the lowest level classes offered are college preparatory courses. Playing sports is encouraged, high test scores are celebrated, and students are seemingly accepted for whom they are. Not to mention Foothill is ranked amongst the top 3% of high schools nationwide. Nationwide!

Why are there social consequences for wanting to attend a school that values high test scores, and “technology”, such as the low approval of peers at Ventura or Buena? A friend of mine (who doesn’t attend Foothill, but is in high school) bad-mouth’s Foothill constantly, saying, “…it sucks”, simply because it has no field, and therefore, obviously, has no sports teams. The mascot is in fact, a mythical creature—a dragon; and select students at Foothill enjoy wearing random things, like walrus costumes, screaming awfully loud during break and lunch, or participating in Quidditch games…running all over the school campus trying to catch “the snitch” (which is all normal, and acceptable, for a Foothill student), but is Foothill really all that bad? It’s ridiculed all the time, for not being a “normal high school”, but once a student adjusts to Foothill; it’s perfectly fine, a great place to attend. The teachers are great; who wouldn’t want to be like Mr. Geib, or Mr. Weldele? Who?! They’re just overwhelmingly bad-ass.

I'm assuming, a normal thing for a Foothillian to hear from any Cougar or Bulldog is the popular statement, “Oh…you go to Foothill?”—which includes parents of such students, too! I know I’ve heard this. But, I know I’m safe at Foothill (I most likely won’t get stabbed)…that I will learn and grow, not only as a student, but as a person, and most certainly be prepared for the future assimilation into adult life. Everyone is accepted for whom they are, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.