Editing Of FCPS Regulation 1320.1

This is the unofficial online petition to Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) to return pep rallies and assemblies back into instructional time.

Recently (Effective 04-12-2004), FCPS added Regulation 1320.1. Among other things, this regulation states:

"Purpose: To establish guidelines for restricting interruptions to instructional time in the middle and high schools"

"Assemblies: ...For example, special programs in areas such as the fine and performing arts may be presented to groups of students who would not have those opportunities in other ways...Assembly topics should relate to the general goals of the instructional program and address areas of special significance. Assemblies that promote a particular enterprise or whose main purpose is entertainment should not be scheduled during the school day..."

"Pep Rallies: ...Although pep rallies may contribute to school spirit, they should not be allowed to interfere with the instructional program. Pep rallies should be scheduled before or after school, with the period after school being the preferred time. On special occasions such as homecoming, pep rallies may be held near the end of the day by shortening each class period by a few minutes..."

The regulation continues on to list more new rules about athletic events, field trips, testing, and even the public address system. You can find the full regulation here: http://www.fcps.edu/Directives/R1320.pdf

Many students at Westfield High School (a school included in FCPS) are feeling the pain of this new regulation. WHS won a very competitive contest with DC101, a radio station, which made them eligible to have "Taking Back Sunday", a popular rock band, play at the school. Everything was fine until FCPS pointed out this little detail in the regulation. Now these kids can't have the concert.

Children learn better when they are happy, everyone can realize that. School should have a balance between fun and academics. Without having some fun, the children of a school would become very uninterested. Pep rallies and assemblies gave them the fun they needed to participate more in their academics. Happy kids are more motivated than unhappy kids, that's a fact I hope everyone can understand and agree with.

The reason this regulation gives for not allowing pep rallies anymore is that it uses valuable instructional time, and students are required to obtain a minimum of 140 hours of that time. Not in all schools, but in some, such as WHS, they held pep rallies during 7th period, which accumulates more hours than required during the school year. The extra time accumulated during 7th period definitely covers any pep rallies or assemblies that the school sees fit. So in fact pep rallies are not interfering with instructional time that is required.

After witnessing first-hand the events at Westfield High School, many students became outraged at the fact that pep rallies and "fun" assemblies will not be possible anymore.

I would like to acknowledge Mr. Campbell, Westfield High School's principal. He has been working hard at trying to get the rules changed, but this can't be done by just one person.

We the undersigned hereby submit this petition to Fairfax County Public Schools to make them aware of just how many people (students and teachers combined) want this regulation changed. We request that pep rallies will be allowed again (during instructional hours), the Taking Back Sunday concert will be allowed, and a more lenient rule on assemblies is created.