Some parents of Ann Sobrato High School students are upset that
their teenage brood saw some of their classmates dancing
provocatively with a chair at a school
”
Spirit Week
”
assembly.
Some parents of Ann Sobrato High School students are upset that their teenage brood saw some of their classmates dancing provocatively with a chair at a school “Spirit Week” assembly.
Other adult attendees of the rally last Friday said that teachers responded quickly and effectively when a couple of student-produced presentations veered from their faculty-approved scripts at the performances in front of the entire student body. And students in the audience didn’t seem to mind the lubricious and convivial displays, even if they didn’t think their peers presented themselves chivalrously.
“It’s all way out of proportion. It’s ridiculous,” said Chelsea Swensen, 17, a senior class student government representative who helped produce her class’s skit. She said the students worked hard to put together enriching live displays of school spirit. “Overall, it was a really good rally.”
The rally, which took place in Sobrato High’s gymnasium, was part of annual Winter Homecoming festivities known as Spirit Week.
According to students and parents, last Friday’s rally was the culmination of Spirit Week. A key purpose of the rally was for a group of representatives from each class to demonstrate their dedication to the school with theatrical on-stage vignettes.
The sophomore class presented a skit in which at least one female participant briefly danced with a chair in a manner that one parent described as “stripper” dancing or “lap dances.” The senior class skit was a spinoff of last year’s film “The Hangover,” the plot of which involved heavy alcohol consumption. As such, some of the seniors mimed drinking servings of liquor known as shots on stage, and the skit’s theme music included a song titled “Shots,” Swensen said.
At least three parents whose teenage children attend Sobrato High contacted the school’s principal, Debbie Padilla, to complain about what they heard from their kids. Padilla sent them an e-mail that indicated she was pleased with the Spirit Week festivities as a whole, and rumors they might have heard about other lewd behavior were unsubstantiated.
“We strive to have all activities demonstrate our expectations of decorum, responsibility and respect,” Padilla said in an e-mail to Stacy Gamez. “Our (faculty student government) director reviewed the concepts of the skits. Unfortunately, two groups swayed from the original concept and included dance moves or music that was inappropriate. There is no truth to the rumors of pole dancing, lap dancing or showing of underclothes.”
But Gamez was not pleased with this response. The mother of a 15-year-old male freshman, she said other parents received the same “carbon copy non-answers” contained in the e-mail.
Padilla referred further questions to the school district office, and did not return a phone call before press time.
Though one parent thought Mayor Steve Tate, who was in attendance for part of the rally, stormed out when the more perverse displays occurred, he said this is not true. He said his view was partially obstructed, and he didn’t see the questionable activity, though some of the teachers apologized to him and acted quickly to prevent the carnality from escalating.
“The faculty was well on top of it,” Tate said.
Gamez said that in addition to the untoward “sexual dancing” at the rally, the Spirit Week events included a “compatibility survey” and a daytime dance in which she heard that female students showed their underpants. Also during Spirit Week, students may dress according to a different theme each day. Gamez said she heard that one day the students could wear different-colored shirts indicating if they were single or “taken.”
“I don’t think a high school should be a dating service,” Gamez said. “They’re there to learn. Why are we asking our children to advertise (their dating status)?”
The student presidents of both classes apologized on the school’s loud-speaker system shortly after the rally. School staff did not say if any disciplinary action was taken.
Superintendent Dr. Wes Smith said he has not heard any negative fallout from students or staff in response to the Spirit Week festivities. He said the students who improvised their skits and the staff who screened them have discussed ways to prevent such things from happening again.
“I have a concern with making sure we have a safe learning environment on campus,” Smith said. “I have heard no indication from any student or staff member that any of the activities of that week took away from the learning opportunities on campus, or created an atmosphere that dissuaded learning.”
Students on campus Wednesday afternoon understood the concerns, but were satisfied with the apologies.
“I can see why people are mad, but it wasn’t that bad,” said sophomore William Carter, 15. He and classmate Devonna Delgado, 16 watched the rally from the audience and were not upset about the skits. They said they had heard some parents were angry about the presentations, but they didn’t know of any classmates who were offended or made uncomfortable.
“They presented themselves badly,” said Sobrato High junior Jessica Ledesma, 17. She agreed the dancing was “inappropriate” though she wasn’t offended.
Added Savannah Thrasher, a 16-year-old junior, “They’re making it a bigger deal than it was.”
