No Sports in Duval County Schools Next Year? (Jacksonville, Miami: buy, school districts)

[JBtwinz]

To say there could not be any cutback in sports is a little nieve. Most states and local municipalities are in deep financial trouble right now. Growing up in Rhode Island in the 70's, during the recession many of the local minicpalities were hurting so bad that just about all schools had limited themselves to one or two varsity sports, everything else (JV sports, golf, swimming etc.) were taken off the table for a few years.

Florida has a big financial crisis looming and hopefully they won't decide to bring an income tax to the table as Ct. did in the mid 80's.

...and how do you get someone who hasn't learned responsibility, work ethic, taking pride in what they do, etc to hold a job?

If we can not expect our future generations to strive for success at a young age, then all hope is lost. I also find it hard to believe that $50.00 dollars is out of reach to these kids. I have quite a few friends living on the edge who also provide IPHONES and DROIDS to their children with unlimited plans. What happened to the values?

[Robyn55]

Agree with you 100%. I've seen kids with iPhones - and all they do is play that stupid bird game. I've seen adults with expensive phones/phone plans too - who don't do anything a lot smarter than the stupid bird game.

I understand why everyone should have a cell phone these days - most pay phones are gone. But I spend a big $100/year for my husband's T-Mobile prepaid - and that is 1000 minutes. Enough for emergencies and some necessary phone calls.

I know there are adults who work who can profit from these things (and use them a lot). On my part - when I go out of town - my ThinkPad goes with me. For business stuff and a certain way to contact me if there's a family emergency. But I really go bonkers when I go to a restaurant - and an entire family is sitting there playing with iPhones and iPads - and not paying attention to the food - or to one another. Robyn

[fsu813]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

I think the Florida state budget goes a little over 25% for education. Isn't 1 out of 4 dollars enough?

I'm not sure what % is spent, but I fo know FL is 49th in state spending per student.

So perhaps doing education on the cheap isn't such a great idea, eh.

[wb3690]

I know we did TONS of fundraising for our football team last year.......tons. On other boards some of the larger football programs are pretty much saying their booster clubs could support at least the football team and one other team alone based on their fundraising, ticket sales etc. I was floored at how much it cost to start a football program at a high school and after one year we're still broke! Honestly though alot of the money for stadium issues etc didn't even come from the school......the boosters raised the money....and companies donated money as long as we agreed to sell their products only (pepsi) in concessions.

Kids had to sell items to offset equipment/gear etc. However you're limited to fundraising events during the year.

We had a neighbor who was not well off. They rented the home by us with HUD and she was a single mom working hospice. Her son was a nice kid who mowed lawns, etc but I am fairly certain most of his extra money was given to his mom to help the family income. He wanted to play football....our family sponsored him so he could play. We aren't well off, but I know the value of sports and honestly sports are probably a huge factor in him not being in some big trouble.

I am watching this closely because I think soon alot of things we get for "free" in Clay County will end up requiring payment (bussing to school, sports, books, higher school fees). I'll pay because we are able to, but some kids can't.....and I feel for them.

[fsquid]

I do agree with FSU on one thing. If the schools don't get better, it will continue to be hard to convince the big companies of the US to relocate here.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by fsu813

I'm not sure what % is spent, but I fo know FL is 49th in state spending per student.

So perhaps doing education on the cheap isn't such a great idea, eh.

There is a weak correlation between how much a state spends per pupil - and graduation rates:

Examining the Data: State Per Pupil Expenditures and State Graduation Rates | NewAmerica.net

There is a much much stronger correlation between race and graduation rates. If you look at this data from Pinellas County (which presumably spends about the same amount per student) - there's a more than 20% difference between graduation rates for non-Hispanic white students and black students - about 18% when you compare non-Hispanic white students with Hispanic students:

Graduation Rates (http://www.aboutpinellaskids.org/JWBBoardPriorities_graduationrates.htm - broken link)

If increasing money spent on schools made a big difference - then you'd expect the District of Columbia to have a wonderful school system - but it doesn't.

I realize that a lot of these black kids start out with about 5 strikes against them before they even set foot in a school (being born to young poor unwed mothers being a major strike). But I don't have a clue how to solve these problems. About the only idea I have is to shut down the failing predominantly black schools and send their students to better schools - where there will be peer pressure for the students to do better. FWIW - in a place like Miami - there is the additional complication of kids not speaking very good English (many live in Spanish speaking households).

Do you have any ideas how to solve these problems? Robyn

[Oscar12]

Obviously, if the school board said we were going to cut Administration or teacher benefits, no one would be screaming to raise my taxes. It's a game. Now taxpayers are begging to raise my taxes - or at least raise taxes on somebody.

[Robyn55]

And - FWIW - Florida does seem to spend less per student than the average in the US - but it's not 49th. Depending on how you look at the numbers - and there are lots of ways to look at them - it seems to be about 30th or so:

http://www2.census.gov/govs/school/07f33pub.pdf

[fsquid]

sweet, i'm a product of #48. This is as of 2007, maybe FSU has a more updated one?

[buddy5]

I think the real issue is;

How come Duval is the only county in a state of over 60, to (maybe) terminate sports?

Mayber our school board has some deeper issues?