I am about to discuss something I thought I would never voluntarily talk about again: high school.
At my former high school, Shawnee Mission South, there is a group of students called “crowd control.” This group of students attend sporting events and are in charge of dictating the theme of the game such as: camo, America, or Hawaiian. They are also in charge of starting the chants. All of these individuals are seniors, and male. These students are the most popular guys at school, because, duh, its high school. There is no vote to elect these guys. The graduating crowd control members pass down the unofficial club and rules to the next class. They pick what guys they deem “good enough” to be part of crowd control. It is like a fraternity for high school. These guys take this “job” very seriously, and assertively. They have a Twitter account that is passed down each year in which they tweet themes and game times. I have always had a problem with crowd control, and thought it was misogynistic and barbaric, and now others seem to passionately agree. Current students are now complaining about their lack of attendance at female sports and the group’s sexist ways.
“Tradition” is one of crowd control’s favorite words. Crowd control started around 2007. There has NEVER been a girl in the group. Many girls have tried, but it has always been shot down because of “tradition.” It is actually a rule that is passed down each year that says “no girls,” as if they are five-year-olds making a fort and trying to keep out cooties. They blame sexism and lack of equality on tradition. Crowd control is entitled to front row spots at every basketball and football game. During my senior year some crowd control members would stumble in at half time, smelling of weed and alcohol, and take their prestigious and reserved spots. If I, or any other senior girl arrived a few minutes late, we would have to fight for a spot in the fifth row. This all boys club have ridiculous privileges and justify it as “traditions.”
These guys let this made-up role go to their heads. They yell at freshman in the back of the crowd for not cheering loud enough (because being yelled at helps spread school spirit). They scream at underclassmen to move back a row because a group of their friends came with ten minutes left in the game. They feel the need to prove that they are the superior gender and just how masculine they are by acting like barbarians.
It is 2015, it’s called feminism, and high school is not exempt from this movement. We are allowing guys to be sexist in high school, but then expect them to change their ways after graduation. If these kinds of elite and discriminating clubs are not okay in the real world, they shouldn’t be okay in high school either. High school students are not exempt from empathy and equality. Crowd control is an outdated group. If crowd control continues there must be radical changes. There has to be gender equality, I repeat, it is 2015. Popular kids cannot just be grandfathered into a group. Cool doesn’t cut it after graduation, and it shouldn’t suffice as a qualification in high school. There should be an audition process for the most qualified people because I’m sure someone can think of something more creative than “defense defense clap clap clap clap clap.” High school sucks, and it sucks even more with pompous guys telling you what to do. Let’s not settle for traditions.
