Last week during a District Board Meeting, the Board members had to come to a decision about how on-campus activities would proceed now that school is virtual. In a unanimous vote they decided that sports can return to campus with the proper health restrictions, but performing arts such as dance and theatre were not included in the activities allowed back on campus. It makes no sense to allow contact sports such as football back on campus while excluding programs such as dance. This decision further confirms the theory that high school sports are allowed privileges that performing arts are not.

In order to remain safe whilst also not completely ruining each sport’s season, athletes are allowed to practice on campus whilst socially distanced, outdoors, and in cohorts of 16 students to one coach. It’s amazing that sports are finding ways to safely begin their seasons, but its not fair that programs like theatre and dance are completely overlooked. Now dance team is having to practice their dances over zoom calls and theatre is confined to virtual script readings, which is not sustainable for either program.

Rightfully so this Board decision has upset a lot of people from programs who aren’t allowed back on campus. Angel Pineda, a 4 year member of Dance Team, shared how disappointing the current situation is, “It’s frustrating because I have been dancing most of my life and we have always had to prove ourselves, because we were never considered a sport.”

The rivalry between performing arts and sports seems to have been around since the beginning of time, but allowing contact sports back on campus before dance and theatre (programs that do not require touch the same way football and basketball do) only further confirms the favoritism sports gets over other programs. If the school district believes that sports can come back, then it would only be fair to allow dance, theatre and other performing arts programs to return with the proper precautions as well.