Eight million dollars in debt at the start of the 2015-2016 school year, and $100 million is projected to be the amount FCPS is in debt next year. Yet FCPS just spent 4.9 million dollars to let us start 50 minutes later. Way to go FCPS, way to go.
Rumor has it that with such a hefty price tag, FCPS is considering cutting all sports and extra-curricular activities (including Friday night lights) or throwing on a fee for each sport and when we say fee we mean about $500. $500 is quite a pretty high price for a high school sport.
Extra-curricular activities that could potentially to be cut are not limited to sports; the arts department would be gone too. That means no theater productions or choir performances or school band.
And if the arts were to be cut, that means that the students who take these classes as electives would no longer be able to take them. In fact, all elective classes would be cut. Meaning that the school day would consist of only core classes.
Can you imagine going to school and only taking core classes? Elective classes provide students with an opportunity to try things in different subjects outside of the required classes.
By taking these classes, students can learn skills that could be potentially help later in life when they are looking for jobs. Electives are not the only way students learn valuable lessons; sports, art programs, and clubs do the same. The various extra-curiculars available to students allow students to expand what they learn during their time in high school, and many of those lessons might never be taught in a regular classroom.
Eliminating our extra-curricular activities and electives, FCPS is taking away our outlets. For many students, extra-curricular and electives are the only things they look forward to, and for some they are the only thing that keep them going. They are the only opportunity for students to express themselves and participate in something that they actually enjoy and are passionate about.
FCPS taking away our extra-curricular activities and electives is not only unfair, but it would hurt students.