The
district we live in is split into two schools. While our cross town
rival boasts an overall incredibly wealthy student body, diversity is
much more widespread at our high school. Students at 'Diverse High'
range across the board. There are those who are very wealthy, those who
are comfortable, those who get by, and those who live in government
subsidized housing.
Needless
to say sparks fly when boundary change discussions crop up. These
proposed plans threaten to impact real estate prices and dictate what
high school kids will attend. Most people at 'Entitled High' fear
losing their firm grip on their perfect-world school where their
children are sheltered from 'undesirable' peers.
In general, I dislike the Entitled crowd, but I do have a few friends whose kids go to school there. Proof that there are exceptions to every rule.
Another
parent, whose kids live in our neck of the woods, jokes that the only
difference between Entitled High and Diverse High is that Entitled High
has more expensive drugs. Couple that theory with the fact that most
of those kids drive high end vehicles and you have an idea of what their
school is like.
Sporting
events when the two schools face off are typically intense. Currently
Entitled High is pushing full capacity, while Diverse High's enrollment
reflects the downward demographic trend that our area is experiencing.
Their superior sports teams typically earn more accolades thanks in
large part to the school's size.
A few years
ago when Laddie was a sophomore, our varsity water polo team was winning
at half time - in their pool. Coach and I were sitting in the first
row of the balcony - in close proximity to the opposing team's bench.
Coach overhead the EHS Coach tell his team, 'Come on, this is just
Diverse High.' He and I both groaned. Needless to say I was extremely
disappointed when we ended up losing that game.
Last
year our amazing water polo team beat EHS more than once. The games
were very exciting. The last time we met, EHS fans reacted to their loss
by screaming at our coach and the refs. They struggled to accept their
loss.
Last
night during the second half of the game, a woman came and sat on the
other side of Betsy. I assumed that she knew Betsy because she started
talking to her. I realized something was amiss when Betsy waved her
hand and said, 'I'm just going to ignore you.' All I caught was that
the woman wrapped up her comment with 'it's not that big a deal.'
I
asked Betsy what the woman had said. 'Something about the fact that we
were cheering too loudly.' I was dumbfounded by this dummy. Superfan
Bossy Pants didn't let up. She continued to correct us on our cheering
approach siting us for taking it too seriously and forgetting that this
was just sports.
What?
I guess I missed the memo that stated cheering loudly for your team
was an unwelcome concept at a sporting event. Reminder: this isn't
chess.
She
went on to inform us that this was 'her school.' I shared with her
that I was cheering for my school. Newsflash: I cheer this
energetically and enthusiastically regardless of what building is
hosting the sporting event. Duh.
![]() |
Curly cheering at one of Eddie's games. Too bad I don't have a sound byte so you can hear how loud we cheer. Maybe I'll add one later. |
Last
week our district voted on a proposed tax hike to support $76 million
dollar addition and improvents at EHS. It failed. A new pool was included in the
plans. In addition to the new pool, this proposal was necessary to try
to accommodate space concerns at EHS due to the growing population. Of
course it makes more sense to adjust the boundaries, but that would send
the community into a tailspin.
I
have no idea whether or not Bossy Pants supported the tax increase, but
when she told us that 'the game was no big deal' I leaned across Betsy
and quipped, 'Neither is getting a new pool, thank God.'
A
Diverse High mom with a daughter on the women's team spun around and
got in Bossy's face. 'Were you at the first game?' (our varsity women
played the EHS women's team before the men hopped in the pool for their
game). She went on to bark at Bossy that this match up was a big deal
because her school (aka EHS) ran up the score during the first game
19-3. We get it, your women's team dominated ours - but don't sit here
and tell us not to cheer loudly when our boys' team ends the third
quarter with two more goals than your men's team. Too bad we couldn't
hold onto the lead.
I guess if you're affiliated with EHS, then you are entitled to also decide how loudly opposing fans can cheer.
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