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Blog #419: Why Should School Pep Rallies and Homecoming Assemblies Be Outdoors and Not Indoors?

  • Writer: Jeffrey Snyder
    Jeffrey Snyder
  • Mar 5, 2024
  • 2 min read

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During my most recent trainings in Irvine, one of the bits of feedback I got from attendees was the fact that school pep rallies and homecoming are amongst the worst types of school assemblies that neurodivergent special education students must endure. I had a teacher explain to me that he had a student who struggled with going through a pep rally at his school and at one point, nearly lost his hearing.

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This brought up a really good point for this blog in which begs the question, should schools host something like pep rallies and homecoming celebrations outside on school grounds like a sports field? Now, if you are an administrator and are reading this blog, you might be thinking one of the following questions:

  1. What is wrong with holding a pep rally in the gymnasium? We’ve been doing it for many years and no one has complained about it.

  2. What if we hold a pep rally outside and it rains? It will ruin the experience for everyone.

  3. Why can’t the student just endure the pep rally? It’s supposed to be fun.

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Well, the truth of the matter is that schools need to showcase that they are willing to be accommodating to all students, including sensory friendly students.

For one thing, most schools that hold large gatherings in something like the gymnasium, the noise is contained and reverberates throughout the gym therefore entering the sensory friendly mind of the special education student. That noise stays with the student for the rest of the school day and therefore, ruins said day for said student.

By holding pep rallies outside, the noise can expand and disappear, not having to enter the student’s mind. In simpler terms, the noise is not contained to one area and can easily disappear.

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When it comes to pep rallies, there are more than just loud, cheering students to be considered. There is also the marching band or really loud recorded music being played. The feeling that a special education student could have his or her routine disrupted greatly must always remain in the back of a teacher’s mind and the teacher must be prepared to offer alternatives to the student.

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I mean, I get it. Some people and organizations have a vision, a goal to have everyone bow down to that vision. However, it just isn’t for everyone and that is something I found out a lot of firsthand when I was in public school. That is why parents can best advocate for their sensory friendly children by putting it in the IEP that students can have the option of whether to attend the pep rally or any kind of large school gatherings or not.

Being an entrepreneur, I know for a fact that you have to serve those who you serve and not yourself. I also know that you can’t force the fit and pep rallies are right up at the top of that!!

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Catch you all later!!

 
 
 

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