When I was a junior at Redwood, basketball games were some of the most fun, action-packed, and memorable nights I had. Now, as a senior, it is hard to focus on rooting for our team when the actions of certain administrators have prohibited the traditional “rowdiness” found in our student section. We are constantly being patrolled and looked on in a negative light by administrators.

As a senior, I was expecting this year’s games to be just as fun and rowdy as before, and I have gone to every game to support the team. But what I have come across is that students are constantly being unfairly punished by faculty members at the game. The same students are being taken out of games purely on suspicion of drinking while I know people who come to games after drinking routinely, but are never breathalyzed. Though some students have been caught drinking, there have been some who blow 0.00’s and missed some of the game because the administration is so keen on getting anyone in suspicion in trouble.

This issue doesn’t have to do with just safety, but with the overall mood of the student section at a basketball game. It has created an ongoing battle between the faculty and students. It is no longer a “Redwood family.” We are now in a feud with the faculty over our enjoyment of basketball games. When I brought a cut-out of a face of one of my best friends, who is on the team, I was told my sign was “very mean and disrespectful to him.” Obviously, I made this sign to support one of my best friends and make my fellow students laugh a little.

Potentially the most upsetting issue to me was a few weeks ago, when I had my American flag confiscated due to “racism.” This is a whole nother topic within itself, but the fact that I had a flag taken from me shows how absolute little freedom we have. The faculty is not only trying to take the fun out of our student section, but also our constitutional rights.

Also, I know for a fact that any basketball team loves when their student section is extra rowdy. This is not intended to hurt another player’s feelings or anything of the sort, it is to purely get our players riled up. It fires the players up and makes them want to play harder in front of their classmates, and it really is an awesome interaction when the fans and players are feeding off of each other’s energy. Personally, when I am playing baseball and the crowd is going crazy, it makes me play with more intensity and creates more excitement.

In conclusion, it is time for administration to back off and let the students have fun. Patrol safety and don’t let students get out of hand, but give us our basketball games back.