Here's why I don't support HS football (La Marque ISD) (Plano: credit, school district)

[Dopo]

Here's why I don't support HS football (La Marque ISD)
The school district is about to be shut down because of low academic performance and poor financial accountability .... but they are concerned about their football team.

BTW, read the comments at the bottom of the article


Meeting held over La Marque School District closure order | abc13.com

Parents are wondering what will happen to their children when the La Marque ISD shuts down this summer. Earlier this week, the Texas Education Agency revoked the district's accreditation because of its academically unacceptable ratings and poor financial accountability.

Almost everyone we talked to was confident that the appeal would work. Administrators said their test scores are improving and that they are doing fine financially. In fact, officials pointed out that the past two years, their financial accountability was rated as fair.

For some on La Marque High School's football team, closing the school district would be devastating to their future.

"This is a big football school," said La Marque HS football player Quinton Luckett. "You shut down this, you shut down all our future sports championships. We're nervous because we don't want to get shut down. This year, we're planning on going to state."

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Here's why I don't support HS football (La Marque ISD)
The school district is about to be shut down because of low academic performance and poor financial accountability .... but they are concerned about their football team.

BTW, read the comments at the bottom of the article


Meeting held over La Marque School District closure order | abc13.com

Are you really surprised a teenage football player on the team would say that?

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by Trae713

Are you really surprised a teenage football player on the team would say that?

That's not the issue
the issue is the culture of making HS football the most important thing for High School even more than education.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by Dopo

That's not the issue
the issue is the culture of making HS football the most important thing for High School even more than education.

Other than a quote from a teenage football player, where is the evidence of a culture that makes HS football more important than education?

Media attention or exaggeration isn't evidence.

I think you will find instead that most high schools with excellent sports programs are also excellent schools. There are always exceptions.

Allen
Southlake Carroll
Westlake
Lake Travis

on and on.....

[Trainwreck20]

Some schools service areas that are going to have poor educational scores and there is not a lot that can be done about it (by the school administration, anyway). Poverty, families with poor educational history, etc. OTOH, for some of these kids, sports is a way out of poverty. The community of the team can be much more supportive, in come cases, than the community of their own family.

[DanielWayne]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Some schools service areas that are going to have poor educational scores and there is not a lot that can be done about it (by the school administration, anyway). Poverty, families with poor educational history, etc. OTOH, for some of these kids, sports is a way out of poverty. The community of the team can be much more supportive, in come cases, than the community of their own family.

This is truth. Lots of poor areas in big and small cities. Sometimes sports is all kids know. Many that have the ability to become a physician or engineer are never exposed to anything but sports. They see one teammate make it to the NFL and then everybody wants to become an NFL star. I'd bet this same thing can be found in basketball-crazy states, too where small towns revolve around their local basketball teams. It's not unique to Texas high school football.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by DanielWayne

This is truth. Lots of poor areas in big and small cities. Sometimes sports is all kids know. Many that have the ability to become a physician or engineer are never exposed to anything but sports. They see one teammate make it to the NFL and then everybody wants to become an NFL star. I'd bet this same thing can be found in basketball-crazy states, too where small towns revolve around their local basketball teams. It's not unique to Texas high school football.

The same thing is true of some kids that are artists - musicians too. It is the extracurricular that keeps them in school and helps them graduate. I'm OK with that.

[DSL_PWR]

Originally Posted by Dopo

That's not the issue
the issue is the culture of making HS football the most important thing for High School even more than education.

It's not about education anymore. Hasn't been in a LONG time. They are worried if they go to another school, what will their school life be like and how far behind with they truly be. Also they won't be a football God in their new school but just another newb...

Also, have you listened to some of those 'college' players speak? Even some of the gifted elite NFL players. They couldn't spell their way out of wet paper sack.

It's about 'donations' and the almighty dollar.

Didn't seem to help in this case.

[Trainwreck20]

Most of the residents of La Marque cannot afford to move anywhere else. These kids have very little going for them except sports. I do not think that is a high-dollar sports program - it is no Plano or Westlake - and sports success if being driven more by an escape from a rough life or hope for a college scholarship where the CAN get an education (whether they do or not is another matter).

And as for their speaking ability in college - how do you know they can't spell. I know people that hear a Texas accent and assume people are not very bright because of their 'twange'. How you speak does not necessarily correlate to intelligence or even education.

[wintersbone]

80% minority school what do you expect? 4.0 gpa's and students applying to yale? lol .What other district would want them? Galveston isn't much better. santa fe? I dought they want them. If they were coming to my district I would have the parents stage protests.

yea I heard that quote from that kid on tv and soon as I heard it wasn't a big surprise to me. I bet those kids think they really are going to make it to the nfl.