Should K-12 public schools eliminate competitive sports? (1 Viewer)

[Josie]

Jumping off the other sports thread, what do you think about K-12 public schools eliminating competitive sports? What are the pros/cons? Please vote and add any comments below!

 

[j brown's body]

I voted 'yes' because if they eliminated competitive sports, classes could start later in the morning, which would benefit high school learners. Rec councils could handle competitive sports.

 

[Napoleon]

Public schools should be purely academic institutions and they are failing at that. So long as that remains the case they should be stripped of distractions.

 

[Josie]

I do not think K-12 schools should eliminate competitive sports. It's good for kids to learn the discipline and responsibility you need to have to be part of a team and to work hard at getting stronger, smarter, better. Just like with art shows, writing contests, singing and band contests, debate, science fairs -- all of those are also competitive and do wonders for a child's mental well-being. It's also okay for kids to learn that they just aren't good at something or that they need to work harder than others in certain areas.

 

[Josie]

Public schools should be purely academic institutions and they are failing at that. So long as that remains the case they should be stripped of distractions.

What do you see as "purely academic institutions"?

 

[Napoleon]

What do you see as "purely academic institutions"?

What I mean by that is that their core mission is supposed to be education.

 

[Loulit01]

Absolutely not.

I voted 'yes' because if they eliminated competitive sports, classes could start later in the morning,

Why do sports make classes start later? BTW, current thinking is classes already start to early.

These start times are too early, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Middle and high schools should start at 8:30 a.m. or later to give students the opportunity to get the sleep they need.

Later School Start Times More Popular, But What Are the Drawbacks? | NEA

Middle and high school students need more sleep to be prepared for school. Although later school start times can help, districts should be careful in how they implement this major change to student and family schedules.

www.nea.org

which would benefit high school learners. Rec councils could handle competitive sports.

We're already in an obesity epidemic and you want to kill school sports?

Oy.

 

[Josie]

What I mean by that is that their core mission is supposed to be education.

And what subjects do you see as "purely academic institutions"?

 

[VySky]

Jumping off the other sports thread, what do you think about K-12 public schools eliminating competitive sports? What are the pros/cons? Please vote and add any comments below!

I would like to hear why it should even be considered?

 

[Slartibartfast]

Physical health has a biological link to people being in a state where they can learn more efficiently, so there should be some emphasis on physical activity.

Whether that activity is sports or something else is irrelevant to the health and learning benefits.

So I guess my answer to this poll is both yes and no.

Competition gets some kids motivated and demotivates other kids. Physical activity should be part of the curriculum though.

 

[BirdinHand]

Yes.

Case in point - the local regional high school district just spent millions of dollars on a new turf football field.

Meanwhile, they are also facing a budget shortfall and laying off teachers and classroom staff.

Tax payers do not need to be footing the bill for expensive sporting stadiums, transportation, and equipment for competitive sports.

Physical activity and intramural recreational teams are more than sufficient. Remove costly and highly competitive sporting from being attached to public education and the tax payers bill. No one NEEDS to see their property taxes going to pay for multimillion dollar athletic complexes when on the flip side of the coin schools are struggling to meet academic goals and have quality teachers in classrooms.

 

[Napoleon]

And what subjects do you see as "purely academic institutions"?

At a high level - reading, writing, mathematics, history, and the sciences. A multitude of subjects/courses are borne from those.

 

[Josie]

Yes.

Case in point - the local regional high school district just spent millions of dollars on a new turf football field.

Meanwhile, they are also facing a budget shortfall and laying off teachers and classroom staff.

Tax payers do not need to be footing the bill for expensive sporting stadiums, transportation, and equipment for competitive sports.

I do agree with that. I don't think we don't need to eliminate competition in order to keep the school board from using their money inappropriately.

 

[Josie]

At a high level - reading, writing, mathematics, history, and the sciences. A multitude of subjects/courses are borne from those.

So no music, art?

 

[VySky]

Tax payers do not need to be footing the bill for expensive sporting stadiums, transportation, and equipment for competitive sports.

My pastor has the same opinion. To be fair we can all find a gripe somewhere and complain about our tax dollar distributions.

 

[j brown's body]

Absolutely not.

Why do sports make classes start later? BTW, current thinking is classes already start to early.

These start times are too early, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Middle and high schools should start at 8:30 a.m. or later to give students the opportunity to get the sleep they need.

Later School Start Times More Popular, But What Are the Drawbacks? | NEA

Middle and high school students need more sleep to be prepared for school. Although later school start times can help, districts should be careful in how they implement this major change to student and family schedules.

www.nea.org

We're already in an obesity epidemic and you want to kill school sports?

Oy.

Sports cause schools to start earlier in order to make time for them.

I'm not sure that a very high a percentage of students participate in school competitive sports.

They could still participate in sports through county rec councils.

 

[Napoleon]

So no music, art?

Not for those who fail to demonstrate proficiency in the core subjects.

 

[Josie]

Not for those who fail to demonstrate proficiency in the core subjects.

That is absolutely awful.

Let me guess - no recess for those kids either?

 

[Napoleon]

That is absolutely awful.

I disagree. What is absolutely awful is that kids fail proficiency exams in core subjects like reading at alarmingly high percentages. They don’t know how to read, but they’re passed on to the next grade anyway and ultimately graduated. But at least they know how to play hot cross buns on a recorder, right?

 

[The Stars Tremble]

Jumping off the other sports thread, what do you think about K-12 public schools eliminating competitive sports? What are the pros/cons? Please vote and add any comments below!

No. In every other part of the curriculum, there is competition. It's called "marks."

There are also kids who aren't good at any academic subject, but are good or excellent in sports. Why shouldn't they get their chance to be best at something?

 

[Josie]

I disagree. What is absolutely awful is that kids fail proficiency exams in core subjects like reading at alarmingly high percentages. They don’t know how to read, but they’re passed on to the next grade anyway and ultimately graduated. But at least they know how to play hot cross buns on a recorder, right?

Let me guess - no recess for those kids either?

 

[Josie]

No. In every other part of the curriculum, there is competition. It's called "marks."

There are also kids who aren't good at any academic subject, but are good or excellent in sports. Why shouldn't they get their chance to be best at something?

Yep.

 

[BirdinHand]

I do agree with that. I don't think we don't need to eliminate competition in order to keep the school board from using their money inappropriately.

My pastor has the same opinion. To be fair we can all find a gripe somewhere and complain about our tax dollar distributions.

So remove competitive sports and let recreational leagues foot the bill for competitive sports.

Because right now? Tax payers are footing the bill. For facilities are services that are NOT utilized by the majority of the student body and are not benefiting the education of the community.

A high school football team has what? 75 members? All the students that will use a “football stadium” in total is what? 300? (Track, soccer, football, field hockey combined?). Out of several thousand student body at any given year?

You could staff an entire new school (or build one) with the costs of some of these high school stadiums - that only get more and more complex as the years go by.

 

[Napoleon]

Let me guess - no recess for those kids either?

Recess is more for teachers than it is for kids, but sure they can have recess.

 

[j brown's body]

European countries don't offer high school sports.