While I see the advatages of sports, there are enough leagues around to support peoples sports needs. Furthermore, to help compensate the schools, there needs to be at least a nominal fee for participation.
#1 SpOrTs FaN | 04.24.07 - 12:34 pm | #

Thanks for the link!
Mr. McNamar | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 12:10 am | #

"The central mission of public education is to teach the skills necessary to contribute to the global society."

If that is the case, then what skills should children leave schools with?

Is being able to work together to achieve a goal a skill children should leave schools with?

Is getting up after being knocked down a skill children should leave schools with?

Is perseverance a skill children should leave school leave schools with?

Is a healthy lifestyle a skill children to should leave school with?

Is goal setting a skill children should leave school with?

If so, can we keep team sports?
Philip Kovacs | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 6:04 am | #

Park districts around here do a perfectly good job with kids from pre K - 8th grade, and in some sports on through high school and adults. Why we can't leave it to them, and only require basic PE for the schools (where the focus is on learning and fitness, not ability and winning).
JohnH | 04.25.07 - 5:18 pm | #

I would like to see a whole lot fewer interscholastic athletics and a whole lot more intramural athletics. You can crow about how sports promote healthy habits all you like, but the fact of the matter is that in most schools, only a tiny percentage of students participate in interscholastic athletics. Intramurals, by contrast, involve (and impact) a whole lot more students.
bmagnus | Homepage | 04.26.07 - 12:01 am | #