A Letter from the Editors: Jillian Della Penna (CHS) and Sam Bodnar (Sage Creek)

As Editors-in-Chief of both, The Lancer Express and The Sage, it is our desire to represent the need for unity. It is our hope that people from both schools and the community can see that two leaders from rival campuses can join together to deliver a positive message to heal the wounds between our schools.

__________________________________________________________________________

Very little compares to the overwhelming feelings of excitement and angst during competitive sports games, especially between two rivals. Players create a reputation for themselves by their actions after a victorious win or heartbreaking loss. Sportsmanship keeps the whole point of a game in perspective.

Sportsmanship isn’t just expected from the players, but also from the supporters and fans. Over the decades, fellow fans have developed a common respect for each other, an underlying rule of any competitive atmosphere to treat each side with respect especially when one team defeats the other. It is just plain rude to rub in a hard fought battle victory into the defeated’s face. A sore loser is looked down upon, but no one likes a sore winner.

In the chaos of a competitive atmosphere, it is easy to forget how your actions might affect others and the team you represent. Remember it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.

There is no way to get around the unfortunate incident that occurred during the CHS v. Sage Creek basketball game. Between the unfortunate signs held up by both schools to the illegally placed photo posted on SC ASB’s Instagram, which led to various Twitter/Facebook smackdowns (among both students and adults from the area) and local news reports; this has gone too far.

The platform of both Sage Creek and Carlsbad is to foster an accepting environment, and it is important for both communities and the nation to recognize that while students on both sides of the arena got out of hand that night, the few incidents that happened do not accurately represent both schools or the community as a whole.

We don’t have to get rid of the positive rivalry between sister schools, friendly competition is healthy. Now, both Sage Creek and Carlsbad high are collaborating to combat the attacks and labels of the Carlsbad community as a whole.

This is absurd. We grew up together, some of us surviving elementary and middle school side by side and this is how we treat each other? The fire has been thrown, and the swords have been drawn; enough is enough.

Carlsbad is a community dedicated to educating our students; teaching them to understand and accept all walks of life. As a community, we need to be able to congregate to grow and learn; to unite and develop ourselves and the individuals within our schools; to preserve our integrity on every level imaginable.

Student leadership from both schools are working together to ease tensions. CHS withdrew from Battle of the Fans to show their understanding of the gravity of the situation. There are ongoing investigations of the hack of the SC ASB Instagram account and CHS is looking into the illegitimate Facebook page.

As the misrepresentation of Carlsbad has spread throughout the nation, students of both schools are disappointed that the actions of a few are being projected as what the community represents. It should go without saying that Sage Creek does not seek to demoralize their opposing teams, and Carlsbad is not a racist school actively supporting the KKK.

Influential spokesman, John C. Maxwell teaches that “the foundation of an attitude is laid in the environment to which we were born.” How can we expect to continuously keep up a healthy cross-town rivalry, when there are slandering words and harmful threats being actively catapulted from two pivotal communities in this beautiful city?

Sage Creek’s principal, César Morales, discussed with his student population that they need to be aware of their digital footprints, as well as ensuring that they are actively contributing to positive dialogue between all members of the Carlsbad community.

It’s alright to harbor uncomfortable and livid emotions within ourselves during a crisis like this- both CHS and SC have legitimate gripes with one another. It’s another, however, to jeopardize the integrity of our peers, school, and community by maliciously slandering one another over social media and face-to-face interactions.

Sage Creek High School’s motto, “Be your B.E.S.T” is applicable to all its students, but it should also apply to the city of Carlsbad as well. Specifically the ‘E,’ which stands for “establish community.”

Former UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden, expressed to his teammates and lifelong friends that, “it is easier to reach our potential when we learn the value of including others.”

If both schools and their respective families are not constantly striving and dedicating their efforts to building each other up, the city of Carlsbad will not be a healthy community to be a part of for the future generations. Of course, neither school wants to lose a competition; it’s human nature to power to the top. However, the lifelong contest that both SC and CHS need to win is creating an environment of opportunity, love, and respect.