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<p>Some extracurricular activities happen in elective courses. For example, a school could not have an orchestra if there was no class devoted to it because you need practice and have instruction time. Also, you can’t get everyone there after school all the time. Same with vocal groups, art classes, etc. Elective courses are often also a kid’s extra-curricular, whether it’s playing the violin or writing for the school paper in journalism. There are a number of reasons some of these activities need to be classes. Journalism requires the use of expensive design programs, computers, and a teacher who is making sure (hopefully) the kids are improving their writing and learning the role of a press in society. There is no money to pay a teacher to do it after school. At my son’s CA school, almost half the school consists of magnet students who are bussed in from far away. There is absolutely no funding for bussing for zero period classes. There is now no funding for after-school classes. We actually did lose state funding for all home-to-school bussing in January, but our superintendent took the money from something else to make sure students get to school and home. Anyhow, because of equity issues classes need to be when kids can access them. I’m not sure why it surprises you that schools offer elective courses in the arts, etc. and encourage/require kids to take them. These are part of a well-rounded education which is exactly why the UCs added the art requirement. It will be a sad day for public education when those classes are eliminated.</p>