TLI: High School Sports Controversy

12.06.12 | Bob Price

Should private schools be allowed to participate in public school sports tournaments ?? Dr. Ralph Kerr with the Teaching and Learning Institute sounds off

Comments

Your Comments(please keep them on topic and polite)

on 12.07.12 Ellen commented

Our kids have gone to a small Christian School in Allegany County - 4 kids over a period of 17 years. This school DOES NOT recruit in any way/shape or form for sports. There is a similar school in the northern part of Section V. Neither of them recruit for any sport. The local kids are there because their parents are making sacrifices to send their kids to a Christian school. There are some international students at this particular school, but they are rarely the "top athletes", especially in basketball.

You said, "These private schools don't retool, they just reload!" That is a very unfair comment and not at all true of the school my kids attend. I am very disappointed that Family Life Radio is feeding this debate - especially with a comment of that nature. It is a contentious issue with Christians on both sides.

One other thought - if you were to look at the statistics for at least the 2 small Christian schools I have in mind you would find that many of those who are current high school students have been attending these schools since elementary years...that can hardly be called high school recruiting.

Hoping for an apology to parents who have chosen this path.

on 12.10.12 Bob commented

Ellen,

If you listened to the podcast you heard me say these are outstanding kids from outstanding families. It's not an indictment on them at all. The point I was making is the private schools have a distinct advantage when it comes to athletics because their teams consist of players from multiple districts. It is my opinion that they should play in their own tournament, seperate from the public school kids. That's not in any way a reflection on these kids, the sacrafices made by their parents, or the schools they attend. Please see it through a sports lens - that's all. Thanks for your comment.

on 12.20.12 Catherine commented

I, as well, listened to the podcast and was dissapointed with the comments made against Christian/Private schools. We have sent our children to a Private school for many years, as well as public school. My kids happen to be very athletic and enjoy competing with other schools, private and public. They compete with the other schools in the sectional games, only if they qualify. I have NEVER once heard of our private high school recruiting for sports. The main goal of recruitment is to get these kids in a Christ centered school so they can have a Christian World View while getting an excellent education. All the teachers and staff , including the Athletic Director, have this same motive for our children.
When you say "These private schools don't retool, they just reload!", that is in fact a reflection on the parents and school that they attend. As a memeber of the Board of Trustees for a private school, I found this statement to be very offensive.
It is unfair to say that only private schools "reload", as the only schools I have heard of recruiting from different districts for sports programs are the public schools in my area.

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