List Members: In response to Ethan's post:
My comment in regard to sports has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with sports in the realm of the K-12 experience. As one who served on the varsity gymnastic team A squad at Central high for four years, starting in 8th grade, as a starter for its Power Volleyball team, First Badminton doubles varsity squad, Track team (high jump, hurdles, 220 & 440 relay anchor leg), sophomore cheerleading captain, and varsity cheerleader for basketball and football, could sink a basketball from mid court but cannot dribble so did not play that, and if they had a womens football team I would have played as I could run, kick and pass a football (Played on Phelps girls flag football team in Jr. high), was recruited for the swim team based on my dance and gymnastic ability (10 years training) but declined (can't swim-they offered to teach me)- so I support athletics wholeheartedly! I am very bodily-kinesthetic. My reason has ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING to do with NOT wanting to support major sports complexes and players huge salaries over a child's educational growth. Therein lies the problem. --- Ethan Jewett -< My problem is this idea that > sports are a complete waste. As I see it now, > education is certainly a priority over sports, so > this shouldn't be a problem. What you seem to be > suggesting however, is that sports should be > completely discontinued in favor of "education." > I've seen at least a couple large studies that show > that physical activity actually increases a > person's ability to learn (my apologies for not > being able to cite the studies). My experience as a > student in the Minneapolis public schools was > that most students who were active at all got all or > most of their physical activity from participation > in school sponsored sports. Additionally, > sports teams provide community and guidance for > youths beyond that which is provided in school, very > often helping them to be much better community > members, while simultaneously making them more able > to learn. > > That's just observation from first hand experience. Pam - I concur with that opinion. Ethan - > but the initial complaint was against sports). Pam - No, the initial and final complaint is the money we are willing to spend on sports stadiums and the like versus what we are willing to put into developing an excellent educational system for our children. Ethan -> All I can say to this is that the Minneapolis public schools have turned out some very impressive graduates. Pam - Yes, I concur again. I may not be a Nobel prize winner - yet, but I can spell potato. But, also the MPS has been passing students along and some are coming out who cannot read. That, from what I can tell, is a major problem. Ethan ->Unfortunately, again, they are usually > the more privileged youth whose parents impart on > them a love of learning and can take the time to > supervise them, etc. This is a problem that needs > to be addressed. But this is the same type of > student that will be able to avoid the public school > system by paying for private education or being > home-schooled. So, the argument is moot. Pam - I was privileged not because of finances but because my mother was involved in the PTA leadership in every school I attended from grade school on up. My parents were quite involved, educationally as well as communally. So I had good role models. I was involved in my children's education as well. Which is why I can say we will not allow my granddaughter to be dummied up if a paradigm shift doesn't happen within the MPS!!! And the argument is not moot. As long as public citizens cannot get good education for their children with their public dollars being spent, and are forced then to pay additional money to send their child to private schools, there will be an argument. You can bet your very last dollar on that one. Ethan ->I have seen, and I am an example, that the > public schools, and especially specialized magnet > programs within the public schools, are able > to give educations as good as those available in > private schools. Additionally, and very > importantly, the public schools give the > experience of interacting with types of people one > would never encounter in a private school. This > experience is invaluable. Pam - I believe Central High School had the first magnet program in the city. Yes it was great. Seven of my siblings and I graduated from Minneapolis Central. I come from good stock. Two skipped a grade, two were on High School Bowl, and a few were in the National Honor Society. I went to college and was on the Dean's List and received the school award for most likely to succeed. At the same time, that is not the only way one's children can interact with folks from diverse cultures and various walks of live. It can also be done in a private school setting, but most importantly, it all comes from how you CHOOSE to raise your child, and what types of things YOU as the PARENT/GUARDIANS/EXTENDED FAMILY expose them to. As my mother told the MPS school board "human relations was a part of my daughter's upbringing. Achieving racial equality for you is too high a price to be paid for with her life." Thereby, they granted me my request NOT to have to attend Washburn High School in the 70's when all that racial tension was occurring. > Ethan Jewett > the Wedge > Currently a first year at the University of Chicago, > which is just now > realizing the damage that its legacy of disdain for > athletics has done to > its academic program and is working to correct the > problem. Oh, and my > public school education and I are doing fine, as > have many public school > graduates before me. Pamela D. Taylor (Who is STILL the grandmother of a very very smart 4 year old granddaughter living in MPLS, and who will not allow her to be dummied down by attending MPS the way it currently is, so is hoping they can shape up somewhat in a year, STILL weighing in from Tampa) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! 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