When you go to rallies at Dublin High lots of things happen, like games, announcements and performers. The performers usually are the cheerleaders and the dance team. The people at our school are very opinionated, which is fine, but we as school have to know when it is time to say things about their performances and when we’re going to far.

   It is inappropriate for people to make side comments or laugh when the people performing mess up or if you don’t think they are good. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and no one is trying to take that away from you. However, these actions hurt the people who perform and lower their confidence because they are getting laughed at or made fun of for making mistakes.

   “People are ignorant. It’s a lot harder than it looks and before you make fun of us, I want to see you come down and perform in front of your entire school,” commented Junior Dede Irvin, a base on varsity cheerleading.

   “It is really irritating, they aren’t the ones performing in front of their entire school. It is harder than it looks”, said Rosemarie Ramirez, another base on varsity, on people’s actions at rallies.

   Bella Cousins, a back spot and base on varsity, says she hasn’t faced much criticism but still has an opinion on the matter. “I wouldn’t want people coming up to me telling me what I do wrong when I’m the one working hard and you’re sitting in the stands.”

   Eryn Bradley, a back spot on junior varsity, has a completely different opinion on this subject. She has faced a lot of criticism and has heard it being given to fellow performers but doesn’t let it affect her. “I don’t really pay attention to those people who make comments. If they messed up in front of the whole school they wouldn’t want people making fun of them so if they want to do it us then it’s on them. It’s actually a lot harder than it looks.”

   “People need to learn to have a level of respect when it comes to their peers. It is good to have criticism but only things that will help us, not hurt us,” said Sophomore Nicole Overton, a back spot on junior varsity.

   “I think it’s rude, you’re letting us down after we worked so hard to do good and even if we mess up, it makes us feel unsupported by the school,” said Junior Katherine Sales, a sideline cheerleader.

   It isn’t nice to make fun of others. It may be “funny” like Hannah Lundberg said or a “natural reaction” like Daron Jacks said but it still doesn’t make it right. People messing up is an embarrassing situation for the person at hand and as Sydnee Hazledine said, “You can’t sit here and tell me you’ve never messed up before because everyone has.”

   I think it is important that Dublin High respects everyone’s feelings and if they don’t have anything nice to say then they shouldn’t say anything at all.