Like most localities around the United States, Spotsylvania County is facing budget constraints. This year the county cut its school budget funding by 10.3 percent in response to lower levels of state funding. See http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2010/082010/08232010/566969 for more details.
Among other changes, the financial pinch has led the School Board to implement a new $100 per student sports fee for student athletes. Students were to pay this fee after making their teams. While the situation Spotsylvania faces is a difficult one, charging students for participating in sports raises several questions for us as a community:
How important is it to you for youth in our community to be encouraged to have an active lifestyle that supports good health?
What other options could be implemented by the school system that do not create unequal opportunities for students to participate in sports?
How can we support other – free – opportunities in our community that provide access to sports activities for youth?
What short- and long-term impact will the fee have on student health?
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4 comments:
I hope that Stafford Co. does not impose the $100 fee. My son is extremly excited about playing football next year in 7th grade. Sports that are free, are helpful in an economic time like this. I want my son to stay active and healthly, but at times can not afford another expense.
This may be a good idea for those that can afford it but there must be scholarships available for those that cannot. It is better than eliminating sports. It has een proven that involvement in sports as a teen results in a decrease in drug/alcohol use and early sex. Is there a venue for business/school partnerships to provide these scholarships for those student atheletes that maintain good GPA's?
Students receiving free or reduced lunch do not pay. There are also payment options for parents to help make it more affordable. Kids involved in sports other than football are accustomed to paying fees. Its about time the football parents help share the load. The fee might also help force more of a commitment from both the participant and the parent. I've heard coaches complain numerous times about families that pull their kids out of practice when it isn't convenient. If they have to pay for the opportunity, maybe they'll be more likely to follow through.
As for this blog, I really don't see how sports fees affect the overall education. I would like to see more emphasis placed on academics instead of which school has the best football team.
I think mandatory physical education is more important than extracurricular sports. Sports teams are limited to only a very few students - usually those who are already physically fit. Let's do something to address the alarming childhood obesity rate and promote phsical activity for ALL students.
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