How to end private vs. public, save $ and improve education

[reugenev]

I think I’ve finally come up with a solution to resolve the dispute over the constant recruiting allegations perpetuated by the public schools against the private schools, in regards to athletics. The private schools could be operated in the same format as the area vocational schools operate (Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center, Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center, and Admiral Peary Area Vocational-Technical Center). Students choosing to attend a private school, like vocational students, could continue to do so, however, all extra-curriculars would be held at the students’ home district. For example: If a student who lived in the Ferndale school district decided to attend Bishop McCort for educational or religious reasons, that would be within their rights, however, they would compete in sports, participate in band, chorus, theater, etc. at Ferndale just like the vo-tech students do.
Think of all the cost savings for McCort, Carroll and Guilfoyle in these trying economic times. The private schools wouldn’t have to pay exorbitant costs to rent expensive facilities like Point Stadium, Mansion Park, or St. Francis. They wouldn’t be responsible for the huge costs of renting charter buses for away events. There would be no coach’s salaries, expensive equipment, uniforms, etc. All of the tuition money could be used for educational programming. This could finally put an end to the constant bickering in the public vs. private debate!

[Zeitgeist]

Good luck with that.

[Crimson09Crazy]

Hell is still pretty dang hot my friend

[abpk2903]

Yeah, I never see this happening. It would not save the private schools money at all either because a good portion of their enrollment is there for athletic reasons.

[Red and Black]

How about a system like this:

First, this system would appy to all schools, public and private, that do not have a set, single public geographic school district. That would be all private schools and the public schools like charters, specialty schools, vo-tech's that field sports, etc.

For the next two-year enrollment cycle, these schools complete in the class based on their actual enrollment, like now. But if the school makes the PIAA playoffs (not just the District playoffs) in a given sport, for the next two-year enrollment period, they would be moved up one class. The involuntary playing up would not apply if the school was moving up based on its enrollment anyway. That is, if a Class A team made the PIAA playoffs for two years and thus would be bumped to AA by my rule but there actual enrollment moves them up to AA, they would only move to AA, not AAA.

On the other hand, if a Class A team made the state playoffs for two years in Class A and its enrollment stays Class A, it would move up to AA. If it made the playoffs in AA for two years, it would then move up to AAA, even with a Class A actual enrollment. But that would be it. It would not move to AAAA even if it kept making the playoffs; the maximum a team could be moved up would be two enrollment classes.

If when a normally Class A school moves up to AA, it does not make the state AA playoffs for both years, it would get to move back down to Class A for the enrollment cycle after that, assuming its enrollment is still at Class A level.

This should even up the field somewhat between typical "pure" public schools and all of the privates and charters, where student may tend to gravitate for sports reasons, whether recruited or not.

[underdog1]

Brilliant!

[lakersfan24]

great ideas.. now back to reality fellas!

[wickedcrossover]

I like the pro-activeness of the above posters. Instead of being overly critical, they are submitting thought provoking ideas. This is good. However, I don't believ that either of the above mentioned ideas have much merit. One suggests that the student athlete be denied the opportunity to compete with his/her classmates. Without me being too long winded, I'm sure everyone here can think of a few reasons why this is not good. The other solution is just ludicrous and is based on penalizing a team for being good. A lot of times it is just a certain few classes in a row that formulate some powerful teams. But maybe it's the coach or the overall program that makes some schools have dominant teams year after year. Heck, maybe they should be forced to fire the coach. That'll teach 'em. Better yet, force the coach to go to a weak rival school!

No, I can appreciate the attempts to provide solutions, but it's really not as big of a problem as BC posters make it out to be. When McCort starts to suffer through a few bad years this subject will go silent. It is just that the parochial league has been really strong over a good period of time. I think, that the last few years will tell it's tale. However, if McCort is still strong in the upcoming years, a lot of credit will have to be given to Salem and staff..........force the dogs to another school district.aarrr

[underdog1]

No, I can appreciate the attempts to provide solutions, but it's really not as big of a problem as BC posters make it out to be. When McCort starts to suffer through a few bad years this subject will go silent. It is just that the parochial league has been really strong over a good period of time. I think, that the last few years will tell it's tale. However, if McCort is still strong in the upcoming years, a lot of credit will have to be given to Salem and staff..........force the dogs to another school district.aarrr

Thats is oh so true.

[usatf oldguy]

The piaa had the pubs and privs seperated years ago.It worked then and could work now.This is not just about McCort look at the state champs in small school sports and then talk about the issue!