Hay his cheaper than gas. That's what some Utah teens said when they started riding their horses to school...until school officials put a stop to it. Check out the following web address for this article:
http://www.suntimes.com/cgi-bin/print.cgi
Friday, September 30, 2005
Evolution vs. central design
The question of whether evolution or intelligent design or both should be taught in public schools is headed for court in Pennsylvania. Please read the following article from Reuters:
New evolution spat in schools goes to court
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (Reuters) -- A new battle over teaching about man's origins in U.S. schools goes to court for the first time next week, pitting Christian conservatives against educators and scientists in a trial viewed as the biggest test of the issue since the late 1980s.
Eleven parents of students at a Pennsylvania high school are suing over the school district's decision to include "intelligent design" -- an alternative to evolution that involves a God-like creator -- in the curriculum of ninth-grade biology classes.
The parents and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) say the policy of the Dover Area School District in south-central Pennsylvania violates the constitutional separation of church and state, which forbids teaching religion in public schools.
They also argue that intelligent design is unscientific and has no place in a science curriculum.
Intelligent design holds that nature is so complex it must have been the work of an God-like creator rather than the result of natural selection, as argued by Charles Darwin in his 1859 Theory of Evolution.
The school board says there are "gaps" in evolution, which it emphasizes is a theory rather than established fact, and that students have a right to consider other views on the origins of life. In their camp is President George W. Bush, who has said schools should teach evolution and intelligent design.
The Dover school board says it does not teach intelligent design but simply makes students aware of its existence as an alternative to evolution. It denies intelligent design is "religion in disguise" and says it is a scientific theory.
The board is being represented by The Thomas More Law Center, a Michigan-based nonprofit which says it uses litigation to promote "the religious freedom of Christians and time-honored family values."
The center did not return phone calls seeking comment.
The trial begins on Monday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and is expected to last about five weeks.
'Orwellian' efforts
Dr. John West of the Discovery Institute, which sponsors research on intelligent design, said the case displayed the ACLU's "Orwellian" effort to stifle scientific discourse and objected to the issue being decided in court.
"It's a disturbing prospect that the outcome of this lawsuit could be that the court will try to tell scientists what is legitimate scientific inquiry and what is not," West said. "That is a flagrant assault on free speech."
Opponents including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Association of Biology Teachers say intelligent design is an attempt by the Christian right to teach creationism -- the belief that God created the world -- in public schools under the guise of a theory that does not explicitly mention God. The Supreme Court banned the teaching of creationism in public schools in a 1987 ruling.
"Intelligent design is ultimately a science stopper," said Dr. Eugenie Scott of the National Council for Science Education, a pro-evolution group backing the Dover parents.
"It's a political and religious movement that's trying to insinuate itself into the public schools," she said.
But the American public appears to back the school district.
At least 31 states are taking steps to teach alternatives to evolution. A CBS poll last November found 65 percent of Americans favor teaching creationism as well as evolution while 37 percent want creationism taught instead of evolution.
Fifty-five percent of Americans believe God created humans in their present form, the poll found.
Earlier this month a top Roman Catholic cardinal critical of evolution branded scientific opponents of intelligent design intolerant and said there need not be a conflict between Darwin's and Christian views of life's origins.
Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, a top Church doctrinal expert and close associate of Pope Benedict, said Darwin's theory did not clash with a belief in God so long as scientists did not assert that pure chance accounted for everything from "the Big Bang to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony."
New evolution spat in schools goes to court
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (Reuters) -- A new battle over teaching about man's origins in U.S. schools goes to court for the first time next week, pitting Christian conservatives against educators and scientists in a trial viewed as the biggest test of the issue since the late 1980s.
Eleven parents of students at a Pennsylvania high school are suing over the school district's decision to include "intelligent design" -- an alternative to evolution that involves a God-like creator -- in the curriculum of ninth-grade biology classes.
The parents and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) say the policy of the Dover Area School District in south-central Pennsylvania violates the constitutional separation of church and state, which forbids teaching religion in public schools.
They also argue that intelligent design is unscientific and has no place in a science curriculum.
Intelligent design holds that nature is so complex it must have been the work of an God-like creator rather than the result of natural selection, as argued by Charles Darwin in his 1859 Theory of Evolution.
The school board says there are "gaps" in evolution, which it emphasizes is a theory rather than established fact, and that students have a right to consider other views on the origins of life. In their camp is President George W. Bush, who has said schools should teach evolution and intelligent design.
The Dover school board says it does not teach intelligent design but simply makes students aware of its existence as an alternative to evolution. It denies intelligent design is "religion in disguise" and says it is a scientific theory.
The board is being represented by The Thomas More Law Center, a Michigan-based nonprofit which says it uses litigation to promote "the religious freedom of Christians and time-honored family values."
The center did not return phone calls seeking comment.
The trial begins on Monday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and is expected to last about five weeks.
'Orwellian' efforts
Dr. John West of the Discovery Institute, which sponsors research on intelligent design, said the case displayed the ACLU's "Orwellian" effort to stifle scientific discourse and objected to the issue being decided in court.
"It's a disturbing prospect that the outcome of this lawsuit could be that the court will try to tell scientists what is legitimate scientific inquiry and what is not," West said. "That is a flagrant assault on free speech."
Opponents including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Association of Biology Teachers say intelligent design is an attempt by the Christian right to teach creationism -- the belief that God created the world -- in public schools under the guise of a theory that does not explicitly mention God. The Supreme Court banned the teaching of creationism in public schools in a 1987 ruling.
"Intelligent design is ultimately a science stopper," said Dr. Eugenie Scott of the National Council for Science Education, a pro-evolution group backing the Dover parents.
"It's a political and religious movement that's trying to insinuate itself into the public schools," she said.
But the American public appears to back the school district.
At least 31 states are taking steps to teach alternatives to evolution. A CBS poll last November found 65 percent of Americans favor teaching creationism as well as evolution while 37 percent want creationism taught instead of evolution.
Fifty-five percent of Americans believe God created humans in their present form, the poll found.
Earlier this month a top Roman Catholic cardinal critical of evolution branded scientific opponents of intelligent design intolerant and said there need not be a conflict between Darwin's and Christian views of life's origins.
Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, a top Church doctrinal expert and close associate of Pope Benedict, said Darwin's theory did not clash with a belief in God so long as scientists did not assert that pure chance accounted for everything from "the Big Bang to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony."
Monday, September 26, 2005
'Small Town News" website set up
The publication of my novel, "Small Town News" is only a few days away. Those wanting to find out more about it can check out the new Small Town News website at http://rturner229.tripod.com/smalltownnews . A link has been set up on the links panel on the right hand side of this page.
To review some basic information that is not on the website:
I was inspired to write "Small Town News" after the death of Dr. Greg Smith, the superintendent who hired me to teach creative writing at Diamond Middle School in August 1999. I was always disturbed by the ease with which some local media linked Dr. Smith's disappearance and the robbery at the Diamond bank, which occurred on the same day...even after it was proven that he had nothing to do with that robbery. I was bothered by the way Dr. Smith's family was treated and I decided in the spring of 2002 that I would write a novel based on those events.
I have always loved to write murder mysteries, so the story has been heavily fictionalized, taking only the basic premise, then sending it off in some different directions than what happened in reality.
The book has considerable differences from the e-book version that circulated three years ago.
The publisher is IUniverse and yes, that is a print-on-demand company and I am paying a small amount to have it set up. This is not a John Grisham or J. K. Rowling deal. I had five publishers and two agents tell me that the book was good, and encouraged me to keep trying to get it published, but it is almost impossible to get published they told me, unless you are one of the two authors named above, or someone with the notoriety of a Paris Hilton or a Pamela Anderson. The reaction surprised me, since the last time I tried to sell a book, 26 years ago, all I received from publishers were form rejection letters. This led me to believe that I might have something a little more substantial on my hands.
My hope is to sell enough to make the novel a viable project for a larger publishing company, and my deal with IUniverse permits that step to be taken at any time that an offer is made to me.
I will update everyone, both on this page and on the Small Town News website when the book is officially available.
Thanks to everyone who has asked me for more information on the book. Your support has been much appreciated. Thanks especially to my students, who have encouraged me in my writing as much as I have encouraged them in theirs.
To review some basic information that is not on the website:
I was inspired to write "Small Town News" after the death of Dr. Greg Smith, the superintendent who hired me to teach creative writing at Diamond Middle School in August 1999. I was always disturbed by the ease with which some local media linked Dr. Smith's disappearance and the robbery at the Diamond bank, which occurred on the same day...even after it was proven that he had nothing to do with that robbery. I was bothered by the way Dr. Smith's family was treated and I decided in the spring of 2002 that I would write a novel based on those events.
I have always loved to write murder mysteries, so the story has been heavily fictionalized, taking only the basic premise, then sending it off in some different directions than what happened in reality.
The book has considerable differences from the e-book version that circulated three years ago.
The publisher is IUniverse and yes, that is a print-on-demand company and I am paying a small amount to have it set up. This is not a John Grisham or J. K. Rowling deal. I had five publishers and two agents tell me that the book was good, and encouraged me to keep trying to get it published, but it is almost impossible to get published they told me, unless you are one of the two authors named above, or someone with the notoriety of a Paris Hilton or a Pamela Anderson. The reaction surprised me, since the last time I tried to sell a book, 26 years ago, all I received from publishers were form rejection letters. This led me to believe that I might have something a little more substantial on my hands.
My hope is to sell enough to make the novel a viable project for a larger publishing company, and my deal with IUniverse permits that step to be taken at any time that an offer is made to me.
I will update everyone, both on this page and on the Small Town News website when the book is officially available.
Thanks to everyone who has asked me for more information on the book. Your support has been much appreciated. Thanks especially to my students, who have encouraged me in my writing as much as I have encouraged them in theirs.
Friday, September 23, 2005
How about coffee bars for students?
Maybe some coffee is just what sleepy students need to get the morning started right. Check out the following article from the Dallas Morning News.
http://www.dallasnews.com/cgi-bin/bi/gold_print.cgi
http://www.dallasnews.com/cgi-bin/bi/gold_print.cgi
Are we placing too much emphasis on math and reading?
The increased emphasis on reading and math caused by No Child Left Behind have lessened the time spent on courses such as history and science. The Washington Post addressed that issue in the following article:
Teachers Stir Science, History Into Core Classes
By Jay Mathews
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Two years ago, W.H. Keister Elementary School in Harrisonburg, Va., began to take the No Child Left Behind law very seriously. Intensive 120-minute reading classes were installed, along with more math. Physical education went from 150 to 90 minutes a week. Music time was cut in half.
This was part of a national movement to make sure all children, particularly those from low-income families -- as were 50 percent of Keister students -- mastered reading and math skills essential to their lives and the rest of their educations. But such parents as Todd Hedinger, whose son, Gabe, attended the school, reacted negatively, saying there was too much emphasis on a few core subjects.
"The emphasis on instructional time pushes everything else out of the way," Hedinger said.
Such concerns have been part of the continuing debate over No Child Left Behind. The time devoted to reading and math has increased. And in many places, the increase has brought results. Between 2002 and 2004, Keister Elementary's passing rate went from 81 to 92 percent on the state English test and from 86 to 90 percent on the math test.
But critics of the federal law say children need a more complete education.
The Washington-based Center on Education Policy reported this year that 27 percent of school systems say they are spending less time on social studies, and nearly 25 percent say they are spending less time on science, art and music. "This tendency results in impoverishing the education of all students, but particularly the education of students who perform less well on the tests," said Robert G. Smith, Arlington County school superintendent, who said his schools have resisted the trend.
Many educators defend the focus on reading and math, as long as it is done properly. Lucretia Jackson, principal of Maury Elementary School in Alexandria, said that basic skills are very important and that many children need extra time to acquire them. Her school made significant test-score gains this year by scheduling after-school classes and enrichment activities three days each week.
"They need to develop the quality of skills that will enable them to meet the needs of the future society," Jackson said.
Rob Weil, deputy director of the educational issues department at the Washington-based American Federation of Teachers, said reducing time for nonacademic subjects has been going on much longer than people realize and until now has had little to do with federal achievement targets. "Districts started cutting art, music and physical education over 15 years ago, in an effort to save money, not in an effort to increase performance," he said.
Andrew Rotherham, co-director of the nonprofit group Education Sector and a member of the Virginia state school board, said: "When faced with disappointing achievement in math and reading, the first reaction of too many schools is to just teach those subjects more and consequently squeeze out other subjects. This 'solution,' however, ignores one common culprit for low achievement -- teaching. Instead of using data to determine if teachers are teaching the material, are able to teach it and what exactly students are struggling with, too often schools decide to just extend the time on these subjects. The problem is, if your instruction is weak for 60 minutes a day, it's going to be for 90 minutes, too."
Mary Alice Barksdale, associate professor of teaching and learning at Virginia Tech, agreed: "There is lots of evidence that the one thing that really makes a difference in the classroom is the teacher and what she knows and does."
Several elementary school programs have shown good results by inserting science, social studies, art and music into reading lessons, rather than removing them from the curriculum. The Core Knowledge program, based in Charlottesville, has first-graders reading about ancient Egypt and second-graders learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez. New York University educational historian Diane Ravitch called it "the best national program available."
Project Bright IDEA, which has produced good test results in lower elementary grades in North Carolina, uses advanced materials such as nonfiction books and techniques used previously with just gifted students. "We believe in teaching all children from kindergarten through high school a highly academic program," said Margaret Gayle, the project's manager and co-designer.
Nancy Scott, who teaches English to children from non-English-speaking families in Fairfax County, said she applauds the integration of science and social studies with reading and writing classes but said it might be dependent in some cases on which subjects are on the state test. In her fourth-grade classes, she said, she puts more emphasis on history and lets science take a back seat because that is the year of the Virginia social studies test.
Barksdale said that among the activities teachers have told her they dropped because of test pressure were silent reading, book talks, science experiments, picnics, field trips, classroom skits and creative writing.
"The logic of the fundamental importance of reading and mathematics is universally accepted," said David P. Driscoll, Massachusetts state education commissioner. "However, the testing of those subjects leads people to spend more time out of fear. While some extra focus particularly around test-taking skills and the most common standards is appropriate, this pushing other subjects aside to concentrate on reading and math is not. A full, robust program whereby kids are actively engaged in their learning produces the best results."
At Keister Elementary, test scores are up not only in reading and math but in science and social studies, despite fears of a negative result. Hedinger congratulated the "dedicated, loving, smart and creative people" who teach at the school but said he still does not like the long reading classes and athletic and music cuts because they reduced his son's love of learning.
"Is the meaning of education cramming as much knowledge in, to pass a standardized test, or is it meant to include something else -- creativity, reflection, synthesis, hypothesizing, daydreaming?" Hedinger asked. "What happens to all of that in the process?"
Teachers Stir Science, History Into Core Classes
By Jay Mathews
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Two years ago, W.H. Keister Elementary School in Harrisonburg, Va., began to take the No Child Left Behind law very seriously. Intensive 120-minute reading classes were installed, along with more math. Physical education went from 150 to 90 minutes a week. Music time was cut in half.
This was part of a national movement to make sure all children, particularly those from low-income families -- as were 50 percent of Keister students -- mastered reading and math skills essential to their lives and the rest of their educations. But such parents as Todd Hedinger, whose son, Gabe, attended the school, reacted negatively, saying there was too much emphasis on a few core subjects.
"The emphasis on instructional time pushes everything else out of the way," Hedinger said.
Such concerns have been part of the continuing debate over No Child Left Behind. The time devoted to reading and math has increased. And in many places, the increase has brought results. Between 2002 and 2004, Keister Elementary's passing rate went from 81 to 92 percent on the state English test and from 86 to 90 percent on the math test.
But critics of the federal law say children need a more complete education.
The Washington-based Center on Education Policy reported this year that 27 percent of school systems say they are spending less time on social studies, and nearly 25 percent say they are spending less time on science, art and music. "This tendency results in impoverishing the education of all students, but particularly the education of students who perform less well on the tests," said Robert G. Smith, Arlington County school superintendent, who said his schools have resisted the trend.
Many educators defend the focus on reading and math, as long as it is done properly. Lucretia Jackson, principal of Maury Elementary School in Alexandria, said that basic skills are very important and that many children need extra time to acquire them. Her school made significant test-score gains this year by scheduling after-school classes and enrichment activities three days each week.
"They need to develop the quality of skills that will enable them to meet the needs of the future society," Jackson said.
Rob Weil, deputy director of the educational issues department at the Washington-based American Federation of Teachers, said reducing time for nonacademic subjects has been going on much longer than people realize and until now has had little to do with federal achievement targets. "Districts started cutting art, music and physical education over 15 years ago, in an effort to save money, not in an effort to increase performance," he said.
Andrew Rotherham, co-director of the nonprofit group Education Sector and a member of the Virginia state school board, said: "When faced with disappointing achievement in math and reading, the first reaction of too many schools is to just teach those subjects more and consequently squeeze out other subjects. This 'solution,' however, ignores one common culprit for low achievement -- teaching. Instead of using data to determine if teachers are teaching the material, are able to teach it and what exactly students are struggling with, too often schools decide to just extend the time on these subjects. The problem is, if your instruction is weak for 60 minutes a day, it's going to be for 90 minutes, too."
Mary Alice Barksdale, associate professor of teaching and learning at Virginia Tech, agreed: "There is lots of evidence that the one thing that really makes a difference in the classroom is the teacher and what she knows and does."
Several elementary school programs have shown good results by inserting science, social studies, art and music into reading lessons, rather than removing them from the curriculum. The Core Knowledge program, based in Charlottesville, has first-graders reading about ancient Egypt and second-graders learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez. New York University educational historian Diane Ravitch called it "the best national program available."
Project Bright IDEA, which has produced good test results in lower elementary grades in North Carolina, uses advanced materials such as nonfiction books and techniques used previously with just gifted students. "We believe in teaching all children from kindergarten through high school a highly academic program," said Margaret Gayle, the project's manager and co-designer.
Nancy Scott, who teaches English to children from non-English-speaking families in Fairfax County, said she applauds the integration of science and social studies with reading and writing classes but said it might be dependent in some cases on which subjects are on the state test. In her fourth-grade classes, she said, she puts more emphasis on history and lets science take a back seat because that is the year of the Virginia social studies test.
Barksdale said that among the activities teachers have told her they dropped because of test pressure were silent reading, book talks, science experiments, picnics, field trips, classroom skits and creative writing.
"The logic of the fundamental importance of reading and mathematics is universally accepted," said David P. Driscoll, Massachusetts state education commissioner. "However, the testing of those subjects leads people to spend more time out of fear. While some extra focus particularly around test-taking skills and the most common standards is appropriate, this pushing other subjects aside to concentrate on reading and math is not. A full, robust program whereby kids are actively engaged in their learning produces the best results."
At Keister Elementary, test scores are up not only in reading and math but in science and social studies, despite fears of a negative result. Hedinger congratulated the "dedicated, loving, smart and creative people" who teach at the school but said he still does not like the long reading classes and athletic and music cuts because they reduced his son's love of learning.
"Is the meaning of education cramming as much knowledge in, to pass a standardized test, or is it meant to include something else -- creativity, reflection, synthesis, hypothesizing, daydreaming?" Hedinger asked. "What happens to all of that in the process?"
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Walking to school is good for you
An article from Reuters indicates that walking to school may be one of the best forms of exercise:
WALKING TO SCHOOL GOOD FOR TEEN HEALTH
NEW YORK - Teens who walk to and from school may get more exercise throughout the day — including during school hours — than those who travel to and from school by car, bus or train, a team of Scottish researchers reports.
“We are unlikely to be 'helping' people by chauffeuring them everywhere they need to go,” study author Dr. Leslie M. Alexander, of Edinburgh University, told Reuters Health. “Moderate and vigorous physical activities are good for us — walking to and from school contributes to this,” the researcher added.
Previous researchers found that walking to school affects overall physical activity among 10-year-old children also, but adolescents are known to be less active than their younger peers.
To determine the impact of walking to school among adolescents, Alexander and co-authors fitted students aged 13 to 14 years with accelerometers to measure activity. They were asked to wear the accelerometers on their hip at all times, from waking until bedtime, unless showering or participating in some other water-based activity.
At the end of the up to 10-day study period, students who walked to and from school were the most physically active overall, the researchers report in the online edition of the British Medical Journal.
These teenagers all spent about an hour or more participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity on weekdays. The same was true of 90 percent of those who walked one way and 87 percent of those who traveled by car, bus or train, findings show.
“So given that we were able to examine data minute by minute, what we found was that even when we looked at specific times during the day (which did not include travel times to and from school), young people who walked both ways to school were more active during these times,” Alexander told Reuters Health.
'Trust your legs'
Specifically, students who walked both ways also accumulated 52 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity while at school, slightly more than the 50 minutes accumulated by those who walked one way. Those who traveled by car, bus or train, however, accumulated only 43 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity during school hours.
The researchers did not investigate the reasons for the increased level of physical activity among those who walked to and from school, but they speculate that “walking in the morning may stimulate further activity and social facilitation.”
And, Alexander added, “there are likely to be other benefits from walking, such as opportunities to explore one’s environment, be alone or socialize, a chance to unwind or have a think, and the health-related risks from traffic would be far less if more people walked or cycled.”
Based on the findings, Alexander advises: “Trust your legs if you can and take time to walk to school or work. Even walking one way will boost the amount of activity you get during the day.”
WALKING TO SCHOOL GOOD FOR TEEN HEALTH
NEW YORK - Teens who walk to and from school may get more exercise throughout the day — including during school hours — than those who travel to and from school by car, bus or train, a team of Scottish researchers reports.
“We are unlikely to be 'helping' people by chauffeuring them everywhere they need to go,” study author Dr. Leslie M. Alexander, of Edinburgh University, told Reuters Health. “Moderate and vigorous physical activities are good for us — walking to and from school contributes to this,” the researcher added.
Previous researchers found that walking to school affects overall physical activity among 10-year-old children also, but adolescents are known to be less active than their younger peers.
To determine the impact of walking to school among adolescents, Alexander and co-authors fitted students aged 13 to 14 years with accelerometers to measure activity. They were asked to wear the accelerometers on their hip at all times, from waking until bedtime, unless showering or participating in some other water-based activity.
At the end of the up to 10-day study period, students who walked to and from school were the most physically active overall, the researchers report in the online edition of the British Medical Journal.
These teenagers all spent about an hour or more participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity on weekdays. The same was true of 90 percent of those who walked one way and 87 percent of those who traveled by car, bus or train, findings show.
“So given that we were able to examine data minute by minute, what we found was that even when we looked at specific times during the day (which did not include travel times to and from school), young people who walked both ways to school were more active during these times,” Alexander told Reuters Health.
'Trust your legs'
Specifically, students who walked both ways also accumulated 52 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity while at school, slightly more than the 50 minutes accumulated by those who walked one way. Those who traveled by car, bus or train, however, accumulated only 43 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity during school hours.
The researchers did not investigate the reasons for the increased level of physical activity among those who walked to and from school, but they speculate that “walking in the morning may stimulate further activity and social facilitation.”
And, Alexander added, “there are likely to be other benefits from walking, such as opportunities to explore one’s environment, be alone or socialize, a chance to unwind or have a think, and the health-related risks from traffic would be far less if more people walked or cycled.”
Based on the findings, Alexander advises: “Trust your legs if you can and take time to walk to school or work. Even walking one way will boost the amount of activity you get during the day.”
Students have a say in designing uniforms
Would school uniforms be a better option if students were given a say in their design? That's what one school tried.
Read the article at:
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin418.shtml
(Sorry, guys; the hyperlinks in Blogger aren't working, so you will need to type in that address. I will try to do something about that.)
Read the article at:
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin418.shtml
(Sorry, guys; the hyperlinks in Blogger aren't working, so you will need to type in that address. I will try to do something about that.)
Athletes have to make the grade to play
New NCAA rules are going to require athletes to make the grade as well as the plays while they are in college. The following article was taken from Education World:
College athletes soon will have to work harder in the classrooms if they want to stay on their teams. Starting in December, the National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) expects college coaches to keep better track of students’ progress in the classroom.
The NCAA is worried that too many athletes are leaving college without getting a diploma. Most college athletes do not end up playing professional sports, so
they need to be prepared for careers in other fields.
To keep track of how well players on college teams are doing, the NCAA will start using a point system. A perfect score for any college will be 1,000 points. Each player on a team is worth two points. A player who stays in school and keeps up his or her grades earns two points.
If a player leaves school early or gets failing grades, the team loses one point. Every team must have at least 925 points or they will face penalties from the NCAA.
College athletes soon will have to work harder in the classrooms if they want to stay on their teams. Starting in December, the National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) expects college coaches to keep better track of students’ progress in the classroom.
The NCAA is worried that too many athletes are leaving college without getting a diploma. Most college athletes do not end up playing professional sports, so
they need to be prepared for careers in other fields.
To keep track of how well players on college teams are doing, the NCAA will start using a point system. A perfect score for any college will be 1,000 points. Each player on a team is worth two points. A player who stays in school and keeps up his or her grades earns two points.
If a player leaves school early or gets failing grades, the team loses one point. Every team must have at least 925 points or they will face penalties from the NCAA.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Breathalyzer tests for students planned in Lawrence
Lawrence, Kan., students will have to take a breathalyzer before coming to school. Is this a good idea? Check out the Kansas City Star story at:
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/12606921.htm
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/12606921.htm
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