School Board changes meeting date for basketball game.

[Pogues]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_Vernon_Area_School_District

It seems your school district is basically an average, but slowly improving, school district in Pennsylvania. You had some good test scores from 2009-2011 at the middle school level (except for science). Extreme academic improvement rarely happens quickly, but if I had to guess the district is making the necessary changes for that improvement.

But here's what I'm having trouble getting about your issue. The school board meeting was moved. The school board isn't there only for academics, but for operating the entire school district: academics, athletics, non-athletic competition, building operations, and so forth. So how is changing the date of the school board meeting putting athletics above academics? Isn't moving the school board meeting showing school solidarity and spirit?

Of course, now that I look more into this...we aren't talking about Belle Vernon School District, are we? West Jefferson Hills, perhaps? Uniontown? Chartiers Valley? Hard to research the academic performance of the school district you are talking about if I can't figure out which district you are talking about.

[Mithrandir]

Mith, I think your concern that sports is more highly valued than education is spot on. This belief is probably not just in your town, but in the entire country. Having said that, it's a school board meeting that can easily be re-scheduled allowing everyone to attend the game. While sports should not be the only thing a school should be concerned about, if you are going to have a team, I think it's good to support the players.

Also, scheduling school board meetings is mostly luck.

Spot on. Steve. i just hope that if the Forensics club makes it to the State finals they cancel any conflicting meetings so everyone can attend

[Gregg]

Spot on. Steve. i just hope that if the Forensics club makes it to the State finals they cancel any conflicting meetings so everyone can attend

Did you or are you going to the game?

[Gregg]

No, I'm going to wait for the school board meeting.

I knew you were Mith!

[In the Corn]

Spot on. Steve. i just hope that if the Forensics club makes it to the State finals they cancel any conflicting meetings so everyone can attend

Forensics and other co-curricular activities have state competitions that are usually during the day or on the weekend, so they wouldn't have to worry about a scheduled board meeting.

I get what you're trying to argue, but I think you're also missing the idea of community pride. Again, it is hard to know how big your school district is, but if it is rather small (one high school in the district) the sense of community in attending that game is just as important.

Minnesota is very well known for its State High School Hockey Tournament. In years past, they had one class and 8 teams from the state played. You would normally get a small northern school with a small population to make the tournament, and they would do very, very well. A large portion of the community would come to the Twin Cities for the tournament. That community was celebrating the accomplishments of these kids. I believe that is just as important as a school board meeting, but that game time can't be switched.

You're missing the forest in the trees.

[Mithrandir]

Did you or are you going to the game?

I haven't attended a high school sporting event since well high school. I do attend the local high school annual plays occasionally.

[Pogues]

I'm still bothered by the athletics vs. school board meeting representing academics argument that Mith is putting forward. All Mith is doing is being Mith, over-inflating an almost insignificant event to give himself a platform to bring up what truly bothers him: Athletics being more important to a school than academics. Now if Mith can prove that a school board meeting has a lot to do with academics, directly, then I think it's worth discussing. But I guarantee he can't. All the school board is is a group unpaid, elected volunteers to help decide the path the entire school district takes in all aspects of the "business." Budgeting, school operations, etc.

So let's compare apples to apples, not apples to grapefruits. As long as you can remember, has a major academic event been postponed because of a sporting event in the district? Such as a foreign language night, a science fair, parent-teacher conferences...events that are directly related to academics and not something indirectly related such as a school board meeting, a meeting of all school administrators, or something of the like?

In fact, can anyone ever remember that happening in any school you attended, your children attend(ed) or the district you reside in, or ever resided?

Let's not forget the importance of participation in sports for children. I won't bother making a list (which would be incomplete anyway), we all know some benefits. I wonder if Mith just would like to see his district drop the 10 sports the district participates.

[Mithrandir]

Forensics and other co-curricular activities have state competitions that are usually during the day or on the weekend, so they wouldn't have to worry about a scheduled board meeting.

I get what you're trying to argue, but I think you're also missing the idea of community pride. Again, it is hard to know how big your school district is, but if it is rather small (one high school in the district) the sense of community in attending that game is just as important.

Minnesota is very well known for its State High School Hockey Tournament. In years past, they had one class and 8 teams from the state played. You would normally get a small northern school with a small population to make the tournament, and they would do very, very well. A large portion of the community would come to the Twin Cities for the tournament. That community was celebrating the accomplishments of these kids. I believe that is just as important as a school board meeting, but that game time can't be switched.

You're missing the forest in the trees.

Appreciate the response Corn. And i do understand that this is a source of community pride, but the community takes little to zero pride in academics. That's my point in this community.

It's like in 'Coach Carter":

Principal: Unfortunately, Mr. Carter, both you and l know that for some of these kids, this basketball season will be the highlight of their lives.

Coach Carter: Well, l think that's the problem. Don't you?