Are vouchers a good thing for high school sports

[olddog29]

While many of you may feel that vouchers are a terrific idea and be behind charter schools, let me suggest some changes that are likely coming when the governor's plans are shoved through the legislature due in large measure to the next newest carpetbagger "Bloomburg" and his cartel of "private corporation(s)" that are already poised to slip in and get the state contracts to run public education in the state. As the playing field in high school athletics exists presently, certain private schools in the state are forced to play in certain classifications because larger classification schools can not compete with them, much less the classifications they are in. Case and point, John Curtis playing Evangel basically every year for the 2A football championship and Riverside - whose coach recruits players from Europe (yes, for high school basketball) who played John Curtis for the 2A Boys state basketball championship - Riverside lost. Actually, this is to such a degree that in the 2011-12 school year, John Curtis will likely sweep every championship in 2A. The LHSAA has attempted to correct this problem by allowing each team to move up one catagory to play. That is only going to result in either John Curtis being the 3A Champ or 2A Champ or vice versa for Evangel and others. In other words don't expect both to move up so they won't have to play each other for a championship - again. So it has been in Louisiana for many years. Now under the new legislation that has passed the House Ed. Committee, these institutions are not only going to be able to recruit but be paid by the state through vouchers to go out into Louisiana and bring in athletes to additionally bolster their programs. Yet as it stands now, these institutions will not be forced to prove that the education they are providing these students is to a higher standard - though it could be - than what the student would receive within the Louisiana Public School he or she had formally attended. In other words - as it stands today, March 29, 2012 - no accountability system will be imposed for these schools or they can get a waiver from them. Get ready for a landscape in high school sports in the State of Louisiana where the private, parochial, and charter schools are to an even greater degree, the only ones competing for state championships in Louisiana.

[PawDawg]

While many of you may feel that vouchers are a terrific idea and be behind charter schools, let me suggest some changes that are likely coming when the governor's plans are shoved through the legislature due in large measure to the next newest carpetbagger "Bloomburg" and his cartel of "private corporation(s)" that are already poised to slip in and get the state contracts to run public education in the state. As the playing field in high school athletics exists presently, certain private schools in the state are forced to play in certain classifications because larger classification schools can not compete with them, much less the classifications they are in. Case and point, John Curtis playing Evangel basically every year for the 2A football championship and Riverside - whose coach recruits players from Europe (yes, for high school basketball) who played John Curtis for the 2A Boys state basketball championship - Riverside lost. Actually, this is to such a degree that in the 2011-12 school year, John Curtis will likely sweep every championship in 2A. The LHSAA has attempted to correct this problem by allowing each team to move up one catagory to play. That is only going to result in either John Curtis being the 3A Champ or 2A Champ or vice versa for Evangel and others. In other words don't expect both to move up so they won't have to play each other for a championship - again. So it has been in Louisiana for many years. Now under the new legislation that has passed the House Ed. Committee, these institutions are not only going to be able to recruit but be paid by the state through vouchers to go out into Louisiana and bring in athletes to additionally bolster their programs. Yet as it stands now, these institutions will not be forced to prove that the education they are providing these students is to a higher standard - though it could be - than what the student would receive within the Louisiana Public School he or she had formally attended. In other words - as it stands today, March 29, 2012 - no accountability system will be imposed for these schools or they can get a waiver from them. Get ready for a landscape in high school sports in the State of Louisiana where the private, parochial, and charter schools are to an even greater degree, the only ones competing for state championships in Louisiana.

Dude! Indention...Paragraph...
:icon_wink:
The schools the kids are coming from must be scored a D or F. C was also included initially, but they are attempting to change that. Therefore, the kids can't transfer from Byrd to Evangel or from Sterlington to OCS. Would you rather a student be forced to stay in a failing school because he lives in a poor area?

You do realize that a kid can go to any school of their choosing as a freshman now don't you?

[olddog29]

Dude,

As a parent of a child who is currently in high school, let me assure you, no public high school's "booster club" is currently and presently attempted to "recruit" my son. However, I have received offers, including job offers to transfer my child to certain private schools on "scholarship." This is without the benefit of my son being able to take a voucher with him. Let me also point out that my belief is that while my son is likely a better than average basketball player with the grades and ACT already to draw TOPS - he will never be a DI prospect. Yet, the offers have still come. Imagine what is being offered to those who are of that caliber and then we wonder why these kids expect what they do in DI athletics over and above a scholarship.

My point is no more than to say that as public education is privatized, one of the additional changes that will come will be additional benefit to not just private, but parochial and charter schools in the fact that as recruiting is occuring now, vouchers will be an additional incentive for the "booster club" recruiting arms of these schools to go after additional student athletes. Apparently, this was a consideration among at least some of the individuals involved in Neville's decision to become a Charter School, although by far it was to get themselves away from the umbrella of the Monroe City School System.

The United States of America is said to be a free country, but how free are you when you are told where to go to school? I understand this point of view. I am just not certain what type of monster is being created. I can assure you that it is not one that will result in parity in high school athletics. That said, where in life is there really parity?

[Tech77]

I have serious concerns about Jindal's plan, and the "dude" he has brought in from New York to run it.

I truly believe this is just part of a grand scheme for Jindal to be able to point to sweeping change when he runs for president next time.

[olddog29]

I have serious concerns about Jindal's plan, and the "dude" he has brought in from New York to run it.

I truly believe this is just part of a grand scheme for Jindal to be able to point to sweeping change when he runs for president next time.

There is apparently some merit in your concern, however the rumor is vice presidential nominee on the republican ticket this time around.

[johnnylightnin]

I have no interest in being "that guy", but with the state of our education, I don't really care about how legislation affects sports...not that Jindal's plan is great or anything.

One side is for over accountability and the other wants the opposite. In the mean time, our HS students are functionally what 6th graders were when I was in school.

[mentechsters]

[QUOTE=johnnylightnin;1217679]I have no interest in being "that guy", but with the state of our education, I don't really care about how legislation affects sports...not that Jindal's plan is great or anything.

One side is for over accountability and the other wants the opposite. In the mean time, our HS students are functionally what 6th graders were when I was in school.[/QUOTE]

Now, do you really believe that's because of the "state of our education" system, or possibly one of many other factors?

[aubunique]

Cell phones in kids hand, computer GAMES, lack of parental supervision, poverty, ignorance of parents, lack of proper nutrition (parental supervision or income or stupidity or both?), being allowed to drive automobiles to school, just an endless array of things contribute to poor educational performance. Bad teachers can be retrained or replaced, school safety and students behavior on campus be controlled, but subsidizing privately or corporately operated schools is pure idiocy.
Did some Tech graduates actually vote for a Republican governor?