From: lamoran@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (L.A. Moran)
Subject: Dumb school administrators and parents
Organization: UTCS Public Access
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 18:05:58 GMT


Pete Lancashire gave us an example of a bright student who decided
to play basketball rather than putting all of his effort into
getting good grades. His school and his parents supported this
decision. Pete writes;

     "I was a mentor to this summer, (est IQ over 135) didn't want
      to get good grades because he felt that he would not have
      any friends, and he did not want to be a 'nurd and geek',
      his words. Also he had to make a choice between basketball
      EVERY NIGHT of the week or homework, the school (big into
      sports) and his parents felt that his basketball was more
      important and these are direct observations and conversations
      with the school and his parents, not my opinion."

Patricia Ann Bromberger relpies;

     "Well, you've said it all and laid it all really well -
      the parents and school administrators have already
      decided to hell with academics and it's basketball that's
      more important - so why are you asking about smart kids?"

I doubt that either the parents or the school said "to hell with
academics". If the student had been doing poorly I'm sure that
basketball would be dropped. It is likely that the student,
because he is bright, is able to maintain a decent grade in spite
of his commitment to sports. I bet that the parents AND THE STUDENT
know full well that learning is important but their choice is to
have BOTH learning and sports.

Patricia continues,

     "My dad was a great athlete BUT he checked out homework every
      night and if it wasn't done neatly and correctly he tore it
      up and you started all over again (until you did it correctly
      and neatly) - get the picture?

      He allowed us to play outside after school every day but he
      brooked no nonsence when it came to schoolwork and there was
      hell to pay if a teacher sent a note home to my father 
      ** mega sigh **."

How sad. Patricia, how old were you before you were trusted with
making some of these decisions on your own? At what point (if ever)
did your father accept YOUR definition of what was neat and
correct? Also, since your father corrected your homework every
night is it fair that you got the grades for this effort? How
is a teacher to know the difference between work done by the
student and work done by the parent? If you had wanted to play
basketball and skip some homework would your father have supported
your decision?

Are you promoting or criticizing your father's attitude? 

Both of my children are heavily into sports and music and both of
them are very bright (grades 9 and 10). I'm certain that if they
dropped their extra-curricular activities they could bump up their
grades by a few percent (they are both A students already). In
theory I could interfere with their decisions and insist that
they devote all of their time to getting good grades but I won't
do this for three reasons;

     1. They are old enough to start making some of their own
        choices and as long as these are reasonable choices
        I think that they should be allowed that freedom in
        spite of my personal biases. They both skip some of
        their homework or do it very quickly.

     2. I'm not convinced that getting good grades is the same as
        learning. It makes no difference whether a student gets
        80% or 90% on a course at this level. In my experience
        a bright student will learn and understand the required
        material without difficulty - the effort required to
        get a top grade may not be worth it.

     3. Sports and music are fundamental parts of education. If
        a student shows any talent at these activities they
        should pursue them as long as other aspects of education
        do not suffer too much (this is probably true even if they
        don't have a "talent"). Once they leave high school they
        will probably never again have an opportunity to enjoy
        these activities. Let's not deprive them of that pleasure.

Larry Moran