CV students need benefit of more mixers

So you’ve heard that parents are freaked out about the mixers and freak dancing at Central Valley High School. What you haven’t heard is the whole story. Here’s what the majority of the CVHS parents that attended the meeting last Monday were saying:

Don’ cancel the mixers. We should have more mixers.

Don’t punish all the students because of a few.

Invite/allow the parents to volunteer.

And, especially, put the students first!

Let’s get some facts straight. About 800 students attended the first mixer/dance of the year and 60 to 70 students were kicked out for various reasons, including freak dancing. At the next dance, 714 students attended, and only 16 or so got kicked out.

Focus on the positive; 730 to 740 students were behaving appropriately at the first mixer and about 700 students at the next dance. That’s more than 90 percent for the first dance and more than 97 percent at the second dance. That’s fabulous. Why didn’t we hear about that?

Mixers are a healthy, positive, safe, cheap, legal, happy, fun and supervised activity for our students. Face it; students could be out in the community doing other much worse things, but they’re not. Many students are choosing to come and be supervised at the mixers. That’s a great choice. We should encourage these great choices. CVHS students should be applauded for making that choice.

CVHS parents and students have been asking for more mixers. Bear Boosters, leadership students and the spirit and sportsmanship committee all separately requested recommended more mixers. Students asked to change some of the formal dances to mixers because the formal dances were poorly attended and so expensive that not everyone can afford to go to them. Mixers are a quick and easy way to raise hundreds to thousands of dollars for school clubs and activities in just a few hours.

Instead of just canceling all the mixers, what we really need to do is to have an open dialogue with all stakeholders included – students, teachers, parents and administrators – to address this issue and problem-solve it.

It is so sad that the CVHS administration didn’t invite everyone into the discussion right from the beginning. Why? A wealth of resources was available if only they had asked us. Parents, students and teachers had numerous ideas to solving the freak dancing issue.

First, define specifically what freak dancing behavior is not allowed, for example, touching and rubbing anyone’s genitals. Then kick out the students who are breaking the rule and don’t let them back in. Why punish all the students for the actions of a few?

At the end of the meeting last Monday night, Mr. Hittle (CVHS principal) said that a committee would be formed to discuss this issue. Hopefully, all sides of the issue will be represented and have equal voices. Hopefully, he will follow through on the actions recommended by the committee.

Last Tuesday on TV, Mr. Hittle said that “no more mixers” is not written “in stone.” Hopefully, he meant what he said.

However, when Mr. Hittle was asked what percentage compliance with the no-freak-dancing rule at the upcoming Sadie Hawkins dance will be required in order for the students to get the mixers back, he responded 100 percent. Are you kidding? No one gets 100 percent compliance from kids or adults.

If we applied the administration’s logic in our society, there wouldn’t be any sports left to play because if any person broke the rules, the whole game and future games would be canceled. Everyone knows that no one on Earth is perfect. Why expect our students to be? Talk about setting the students up for failure and securing the no-mixers policy!

I know there are many more parents, students and teachers out there who also share our views. We need to do what is best for the students, not the administration. CVHS needs more mixers, not fewer. Speak up now, before the CVHS administration permanently eliminates an important activity that offers our students a safe, legal, happy, cheap, supervised and fun environment.