Should Montgomery Co. students have to pay to play?
Blacksburg High School soccer players huddle during a game Wednesday night. The Montgomery County School Board had to make some difficult decisions this budget season, in part because of debt tied to construction projects, such as the new Blacksburg High School visible in the background. | Photo by Daniel Lin, The Roanoke Times
Approved May 16 in a package of cost-saving measures, the requirement that parents spend $100 per student to let them play sports, join a debate team or take part in other extracurricular programs prompted debate from the moment it was proposed.
Read more at roanoke.com.
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Students should not have to pay to play sports and be involved in extracurricular activities as it will not allow for equal opportunity to participate. In Blacksburg the average income is $22,513, per capita income is $13,946, In-labor force 50.9% and families living below the poverty level 15.9%. All students should be allowed to participate in activities that are funded/ provided by the school system. Students are found to develop healthier/ positive peer support systems, stay in school and go on to college when they participate in after-school activities. By making families pay a fee to have their children participate in after-school activities we would be taking the opportunity away from the students who may need it the most.
Comment by Marian — May 27, 2012 @ 6:48 am
No, of course student’s families shouldn’t have to pay-to-play/participate. But neither should teachers have to have their salaries frozen, go without even a cost-of-living raise for years, teach larger classes, and do without necessary supplies and resources. And neither should support staff be let-go and principals have to choose between Athletic Directors or Assistant Principals. And neither should students have to be told they cannot take the classes they signed up for because those classes have been cut.
Neither should the School Board have to decide which schools to close, but that’s exactly what they’ll have to do next year.
But these are tough times, and require tough choices. Nobody wins on this one (oh, except the politicians in Richmond…What are our priorities? Athletics over Academics?
Comment by E William — May 27, 2012 @ 8:59 am
Should they – No. Is that the political reality of a of the end of the Federal stimulus and state legislators that would not “Hold Harmless” Montgomery County – Yes.
Comment by Michael Hudson — May 27, 2012 @ 9:55 pm
Marian, check the facts: there are provisions for students who cannot afford to pay the fee.
Comment by E William — May 29, 2012 @ 4:51 pm
From the story:
Comment by Pat N. Hall — May 29, 2012 @ 6:08 pm
(Maybe someday the RT/Burgs will have a decent commenting system)
From the story:
That $400,000 is a lot of cash — to cover the electricity to light the four football fields and locker rooms and concession stands and parking lots, plus pay for the water and sewer for the rest rooms. Then there is the cost to light and heat the gyms and locker rooms every evening beyond the school day so the winter sports teams can practice and play, while teachers go home to houses where they have to keep the thermostat down in the 60s because their gas or electric bill is tough to pay on a fixed income.
Marian mentions Blacksburg — been to a BHS football game recently? Does Dave Crist really need a team that stretches from the 20-yard-line to the 20-yard-line, each player in full uniform, from helmet to all the pads, to cleats? Most of those players walk off the field in a uniform just a clean as when they walked onto the field, the only down they get to play (if they stick around) is the first set of downs on Senior Night. But the school system pays for all that equipment and the insurance and the coaches pay to ensure that anyone who shows up has the opportunity to stand on the sideline. Yet even with all those players last season, Coach Crist was complaining about some of his players getting tired out because they had to play offense and defense the whole game. So what kind of “participation” is going on there? Really? Is the school system (taxpayers?) getting what it is paying for? Maybe the system really needs to be re-thought and perhaps some of those kids would be better off in a rec department program (and their parents would probably pay less than $100, not to mention all the extra costs that they have already been paying). “Pay to play” isn’t anything new to anyone who has been involved in sports or other extracurricular activities, it is just a different way to collect the fees now.
As to those of lower means, they get off the hook and don’t have to pay. Other parents, the school system, and the booster club will pick up the slack there.
As for those who are in school to play sports, perhaps there is a problem with priorities that needs to be addressed. It takes more than athletic ability to land a scholarship to a Division I school and the lower tier schools don’t hand out sports scholarships.
The only problem with this is the school board didn’t go far enough and left middle school sports in place. Those programs could have easily been cut in favor of keeping more teaching positions. The town and county rec departments, plus the various sports clubs (soccer, lacrosse, softball, etc.) could easily pick up the slack in providing programs, like they already are, for these kids, at less expense than burdening taxpayers and teachers.
Comment by Pat N. Hall — May 29, 2012 @ 6:10 pm
No the kids should not have to pay. As the parent of 2 athletic children we pay at the beginning of the season for practice shirts & socks. Then we pay throughout the season to get into all the games. There is no reason for the students to have to pay an additional $100 just to play. It’s ridiculous & Montgomery County should be ashamed for even coming up with this idea!
Comment by Bridget — May 30, 2012 @ 5:39 pm