Columbus City Schools-Columbus Board of Education

Were it not for the marching band, I doubt I would have enjoyed being a student at Briggs as much as I did. I really loved it, and I’m proud to have gone there, but with the school’s reputation getting worse and the marching band having gone downhill since I graduated in 2005, this school is most likely on its way out. I’m going back one last time for alumni band, and to bid my high school band director farewell and a happy retirement, but beyond that, it kills me to admit that I could care less.
We had a little bit of everything. An English teacher who reportedly slept with a male student and had his kid (years before I attended the school), a math teacher who slept with the senior cheerleaders so they’d get A’s and graduate (it was on the local news for years after!), a football team that never wins, and a long-​standing rivalry with West High School. During my years there (2001 – 2005), we had three different principals, and only Mr. Shreiber was worth anything. Our band director, Mr. Aaron Jackson, has been lauded through the years as the best teacher in the entire school — every teacher has a story about AJ and his band students, which we honestly can’t say about any of the other teachers.
I won’t deny that I could’ve gotten a better education at another school. I might have had more opportunities at another school. At the time, though, Briggs was the best fit. I’d spent three horrific and hellish years at the absolute worst middle school in the city — on the complete opposite side of town — and going to Briggs was coming home.
I really don’t know how gay-​friendly the school is now, but it was weird while I was there. The gay guys were out and proud and everyone accepted them. God forbid a lesbian came out at any point during her time there. There were a grand total of four lesbians in the marching band, and only one came out during high school. She dropped out because of the toxic and hateful environment. The other three — including myself — learned from her experience and came out after our respective graduations and have been treated well.
In summation, Briggs was great for me while I was there, it was a good school before I was there, but after I graduated, it’s gone downhill pretty fast.