Friday, December 10, 2010

The Joke of Academic Priority

   One of the first statements that I heard upon entering Glenbrook North High School was that "Academics come first." I think that if you were to ask any student at my school, they would tell you that this is totally false.
   I am in my school's winter production this year. For this show, I have been called out of school twice in the past two weeks to rehearse and prepare for it. I have missed very important class days to attend these mandatory rehearsals, and my grades have suffered dearly because of it.
   Similar events occur when it comes to athletics. Athletes are constantly excused from various school events for an array of excuses. Besides that, athletes are often held to more lenient standards than the student who is not involved in sports.
  I personally do not mind missing class for drama. In fact, I really enjoy it. The problem I have lies in the school's mentality. It is a blatant  lie to pretend that academics are seeded as the school's top priority. I would just appreciate it the faculty set reasonable expectations for what the high school really cares about.