How is high school athletics related to education? As a taxpayer, I resent the fact that I must pay extra taxes so that a student can participate in an extracurricular activity. In the central Florida area, every high school has a large stadium for football games, track facilities, top notch weight rooms, gymnastics, and many other pieces of expensive equipment that are designed to enable students to enjoy activities that are completely unrelated to what should be the goal of schools: education.
I know that there are many parents out there will claim that participation in sports is important, and that many life lessons are learned through sports. OK, then: Why is it necessary for the education of children to transport an entire football team, cheerleaders, coaching staff, and marching band of a public high school from Colorado to Florida at taxpayer expense? Not only that, but the same night, another high school team flew from California to play in a Florida football game. The children couldn’t play at one single school between here and Colorado? Here and California? Is this really a wise use of taxpayer money?
Florida doesn’t have enough money to fund emergency services or repair roads, but we have enough to fly hundreds of children to Disney’s backyard to play a game?
3 Comments
Wayne Conrad · September 10, 2011 at 12:18 am
I'll do ya one better, DM. Why take money from some people to educate other people's kids?
It may seem crazy, but it takes care of so many school arguments: prayer, evolution, sex education, and many more issues melt away when tax dollars aren't being used for education. And I guaran-fricking-tee you that we will, collectively, be able to educate our children better, and cheaper, when each parent, not the government, decides where to send their children (and their money).
Those in favor of collectivized education are kindly invited to pool their own money (not other people's) to fund it.
Oh, one more thing. Trips to out-of-state sports games are usually funded by donations from the parents & community. I think they are around here, anyhow. I don't know about Floriday, though. The spending on stadiums and what-not is still a valid complaint, no matter who funds the trip.
Divemedic · September 10, 2011 at 10:54 am
I agree, but one step at a time.
Anonymous · September 10, 2011 at 9:53 pm
Why aren't these facillities at least open or accessiable to the public, i mean the people who are paying for it all?
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