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.