FOX NEWS
PERMONT, Texas – Eliminating high school athletics during a school year is unusual, especially in a sports-loving state such as Texas.
But that's exactly what's happening in this small ranching community where the school district is taking desperate measures to prevent a state-mandated closure due to poor academics. The Premont Independent School District is even deploying its superintendent, a constable and high school principal to the homes of truant students in an effort to improve dismal attendance.
The actions announced this week are not only part of a last-ditch effort to save the school district, but perhaps the entire community -- which some parents already plan to leave because of the uncertainty surrounding the schools' future.
The town of 2,700 people in South Texas has been on edge since the Texas Education Agency placed it on probation nearly a year ago and then last fall ordered that the school district close by July 1. The order has since been put on hold as the district gets one last chance to meet the state's criteria. Failure would force Premont ISD to be annexed into another district 35 miles away and eliminate one of the town's largest employers -- costing Premont 90 jobs.
With so much on the line, Superintendent Ernest Singleton decided drastic action was needed to show the state immediate improvement at Premont High School. The school failed to meet certain adequate yearly progress requirements since 2007 under the federal No Child Left Behind program.
To make time for extra tutoring and test preparation -- and to save some money -- Singleton decided sports at the school will have to wait at least until the next basketball season. That means no baseball, track, tennis or football.
"Sports is sacred ground in the state of Texas," said Singleton, who has been on the job barely seven months. "But because we're so far behind with student performance I wanted an environment that was academic only."
The problems at Premont are numerous. The buildings are outdated and in need of repairs. The enrollment is dwindling -- 570 students this year compared to about 800 students from five years ago -- and a startling percentage of those who are enrolled regularly miss classes.
Meanwhile, townspeople and students alike are still unsure how they will adjust to life without Premont Cowboy athletics.
About 100 of the district's students participate in the cancelled sports.
Besides providing extra study time for students, the decision to end the sports programs had a financial component as well. The district has to have two new science labs in its high school by Aug. 1 and must attract highly qualified teachers.
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I think that school work is important if their scores are low. Students should find time to study and fine time to play sports. I don't know how their school are going to handle not having sports but it is good that they are improving their knowledge.
ReplyDeleteJimmy P7
I think the grade of school athletes is not because they are in the sports team. Some students in sports team have good grades and some others who are not in the sports team sometimes have bad grades. If they really want to get a good grade at school, they will work hard no matter if they are in the sports team or not. I think school's choice was not appropriate. They should find some other way to make gradea higher, other than not having sports team at all.
ReplyDeleteSeoHyun P. 1
Their problem isn't their scores. It's their attendance, so taking away there sports teams isn't going to help. people weren't coming to school when there was sport. so why come now?
ReplyDeleteMeagan larson P.7
This is unfaif for the students who show up to school. Because they probably do their work, un like the students who don't show up. So the should get the oppritunity to be in sports.
ReplyDeleteCortney p.1
I think its a good idea to take away the sprts. That way people will focus more on school.
ReplyDeleteCody p.2
I think that is unfair. They should set up programs to make things to want kids to stay off the enl. list. And I think the students should care more about their grades, ogle they should ask for help to keep their grades up.
ReplyDeleteGretta B. P3
I think that in a school there is many people with bad grades, but many people with good grades, however. I think many people that gets bad grades don't study enough, no matter if they are in a sport or not. I think, this people, will still getting bad grades even if they are not in sports. Also I think this is unfair for people who is getting good grades, because it is not their fault. So I think the school should figure out another solution to this issue.
ReplyDeleteAlberto Gonzalez P1
School is important. I understand where the school officials are coming from, but people usually stay out of trouble and are more focused if they are involved in extra curricular activities. By taking away sports the kids are going to have more time on their hands. Most students arn't going to spend any more time then they used to on homework which gives them even more time to get involved in troubling situations.
ReplyDeleteElle O. P7
I think this is very unfair of the schools to do. The only reason some of the kids who play in sports, try to get good grades so they can keep participating. I think that taking away sports will just cause more kids to get in trouble, dropping out, and having bad grades and i dont think that is what the schools want.
ReplyDeleteSummer hour1
I believe that not allowing kids to participate in sports is not a smart decision. Many times the kids in sports have an incentive to do well in school and try harder to be able to stay in the sport. Sports also teach these kids more skills than school alone can teach like- sportsmanship, hard work, cooperation, and time management. I think it is absured to remove sports from high school.
ReplyDeleteAnna C3
I don't think removing sports will resolve anything,if anything we'd probably gain more fat kids.If I were a kid going to the school,I would give it my all to be insured that we don't lose our sports.All in all,if they take away something as important as sports I guarantee there would be protesting.
ReplyDeleteChris W. hr1
I don't think they should be able to cancel sports. I also think just because you don't have school sports doesn't mean they will keep up with there homework. Also if they cancel sports people would probably move and go to a different school.
ReplyDeleteMacKenzie N. 1
I dont think this will help anything in removing sports from the school. Many schools are struggling right now during difficult times but I dont beleive cutting sports is going to help much. I agree with Anna's comment.
ReplyDeleteLynn A. 7th hour
Meagan Larson, I beleieve you just plagiarized Mr.Fermoyle. i think he said those exact words in class when he discussed this with us. LOL. No biggie ;)
ReplyDeleteLynn A 7th hour
This school is taking away it's students activites, and it isnt going to help them get their grades up. As Mr. Fermoyle said, this school had/had problems with attendance, so taking away the one thing that made at least the athletic kids show up to school, was not a smart idea. This school should have long ago been enforcing a better attendance poilicy, then they would be less likely to have this problem.
ReplyDeleteIf I were put into this situation, I would most likely transfer schools. Sports are what I do to keep myself busy in life, along with many other students. If no sports were offered, this could possibly increase the amount of alcohol and drugs used by a student; because there would be nothing else to do or attend in the evenings. Also, I believe the school attendance would drop daily because a majority of students don't skip school when they feel like it; main reason because they have sporting events to attend after school. Overall, this just doesn't seem like a good idea.
ReplyDeleteLiana H3
I agree with Liana about how the drug and alcohol use would go up by canceling sports. Most of the kids that go to school go because, they have sports after. If they cancel sports, I think that the majority of students would probably miss more school.
ReplyDeleteMicaela C Hr7
I think that the school, instead of eliminating sports, has to make some sort of compromise. If you eliminate sports all together, then you could possibly have other problems on your hands. Problems could possibly be that because the school eliminated sports, then the kids won't have anything to do after school and they will be more prone to get into trouble. In my opinion school is very important, but so are sports. It keeps kids physically active and it gives them something to do after school. Unfortunately some kids only come to school because of sports, by eliminating sports they have nothing to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteBarrett B.3
I think it is wrong for them to take sports away from the students. Maybe if they are getting bad grades tell them they can't play so they can focus on grades. I thinks it wrong to take sports away from them especially in where sports are big. This is like if they took away hockey here. Everyone would be going crazy, thats probably what they are doing. Plus not all of them are getting bad grades. So why take sports away from everyone?
ReplyDeleteLinda R. 1
I don't think they should take away sports from the students. I think this, because not everybody has bad grades. I agree with Linda on letting the kids that have bad grades should not play. They shouldn't punish all the kids.
ReplyDeleteSteph C.3
I think it's good that the school cares enough to try and improve their students' grades, but I don't think they should take away sports. It's going to make a lot of students, parents, and sports fans angry. Anyways, isn't that what the ineligibility list is for? I don't think they should take away all sports alltogether. Not all the kids are doing poor in school, so why punish everyone? They have good intentions, but I don't agree with removing sports.
ReplyDeleteShannel D. 3
i think that it is unfare to the students that play sports and do good in school. and if they dont have any sports the kids are more likly to do drugs and drink, because they wont have to worry about being out of shape.
ReplyDeletecam K.1
Cutting sports from school! I believe will not help out anyone or anyone’s grades! Many kids are involved in sports and they have that feeling that they need to try and get good grades in order to play that sport! I think that it is up to the parents to decide if the sport is getting in the way of their kids school work! Cutting all the sports together would cause more problems that fixing any!
ReplyDeleteCarly p.3
I think it is wrong for schools to cut out sports because it is not fair to those who do have good grades. If students don't have good grades then the parents should get involved with their child and do something about it not just let them fail without doing anything. Also if every one has poor grades then the teachers maybe are doing something wrong with the way they are teaching. If schools cut sports then students will have more time to party, drink alcohol and do stupid things because they dont have to go to practice.
ReplyDeleteAbove comment was Lindsay F hour 1
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