Once a year every year, Ventura and Buena High School host “Nerd Days.” On this day, students come to school dressed as so-called “nerds,” wearing clunky glasses, ill-fitted clothing, button ups, and sometimes prop buck teeth to emphasize the absurdity of “nerds.” The schools have been doing this for years, making it such that the trend never dies.
Between the much larger schools in Ventura, there is a vicious rivalry. Ventura High and Buena High have been football rivals for decades, making students feel like they must emphasize hatred towards the opposing school. “Nerd Day” facilitates this hatred and not only encourages a pointless rivalry but directly affects those who fall under this relatively shameful label of “nerd.”
Some may argue that many of these kids embrace this kind of label and enjoy the fact that they differ from the rest of the kids around them. Yet there are still kids out there that find this kind of thing abhorrent and hurtful.
Many kids still remain in the shadows enjoying their video games, academics, and other “nerd” things. What do the people of these schools expect when it comes to such a weird event like this? The result of this happens to be ostracizing and pushing these kids further away.
One may argue this is all in good fun, and that the “Buck Fuena” shirts made and tucked into high-waisted pants is all okay, yet it’s simply pointless to have a day on which the student body makes fun of their fellow students as well as perpetuating a moronic and childish rivalry.
There’s something wrong with acting like Halloween has come early and that the age-old stereotype of a “nerd” has come back from antiquity, infesting and possessing kids who aren’t even close to being like the people they’re making fun of.
If this day is allowed to exist, why not have a “jock day” where everybody wears sports clothing, a fake muscle suit, a large brow ridge, and to top it all off, lower their GPA and IQ level to truly fit in as a glorified “jock”?
Days like this are wrong and pointless. They perpetuate certain stereotypes that are rather long deceased and the fact that this is still happening is questionable and ridiculous.
Although this actually doesn’t affect Foothill directly, it still affects students at Foothill who have friends who go to Ventura High School, and the numerous “nerds” at Foothill.
Swag • May 14, 2019 at 1:07 am
Zach Castro has conflated a stereotype of what the image of a nerd in today’s society is much more drastically then it actually is. He acts as if the student body of both of these schools are ridiculous enough to think that they are actually portraying nerds during these days. In reality, there would be no purpose in having these days if the costumes weren’t as outrageous as they are. In addition, you generalizing the stereotype of a jock as having low IQs and GPAs shows a similar level of ignorance that your so desperately despise. In fact, I would argue that most would agree in saying that making fun of people for low gpas is more harmful of an image than high ones. This is a true example of the degree to which Foothill administration has reached in sucking all the fun out of their school, leaving students who cannot even see the charm in nerd day.
That one Dude • Oct 5, 2017 at 5:23 pm
I feel like this is making a big deal of something that isn’t an issue. I mean, it’s not as if Buena and Ventura students mock each other for being smart, right? While there is a such thing as crossing the line, this fun tradition in no way does. How are foothill students affected by this anyways?
Bruh • Oct 4, 2017 at 8:10 pm
Just because you won some lottery doesn’t mean you can say what you want about other schools traditions and try to change other schools, this article is a drag on both Ventura and Buena you’re just trying to be “classy” about it
Bruh • Oct 4, 2017 at 8:06 pm
Do y’all even have a football team?
no • Oct 15, 2016 at 10:54 pm
should “school spirit” consist of making fun of people?
Anonymous • Oct 4, 2017 at 6:00 pm
If you look up “nerd,” ten you get the stereotypical glasses, suspenders, button ups, belt, and a scooter or something. Ventura allowing their student body to make and sell shirts saying “BUCK FUENA” is not okay, and is a sign of bullying. However, this rivalry between Buena and Ventura is because we are the main regular schools in Ventura, meaning that whatever we want to do with our rivalry school is between Buena and Ventura. It is non of Foothill’s concern, and Zach Castro doesn’t have a say or a right to say what he said in this article. Ventura/Buena Nerd Day has been a tradition for over 30 years, and Foothill does not have the right to take this away from us.
Anonymous • Oct 15, 2016 at 3:09 pm
Honestly no one cares what you think, get a real sports team and a rival, and you will understand what a rivalry is, it supports school spirit
random • Oct 9, 2016 at 10:36 pm
YALL DONT EVEN GO TO BUENA OR VENTURA! GET A HOBBY