Katie3

    Should athletes receive special academic help and other privileges not available to all students? I don�t think athletes should receive any extra help or privileges that are not available to all students. Too many athletes now receive academic help, disciplinary relief, and other privileges not available to all students. I realize that the world we live in is not fair, but when something can be done to make it fair, then why not do it. A prime example of this, is not showing favoritism and treating people equally, which means athletes are just like everyone else (with the exception of playing a sport).
      A big factor in schools today is when athletes receive academic help not available to everyone. After talking with several teachers at Marlboro County High School, I discovered that an athlete at this school was able to retake some classes he had not previously passed. This privilege was not made available to all students. Just recently an athlete was moved from supposedly �hard classes� into �easy classes� to prevent him from becoming ineligible. Athletes have been excused from many assignments and/or tests, due to a game, or pep rally. The work they missed during this time didn�t have to be made up, and they automatically received a passing grade. When things like this happen what is the point of going to school and studying, when you could just be an athlete and get everything free. When talking to several athletes, they said it was hard to maintain good grades and have time to study, while practicing until 7:30 every night. If a student is going to be devoted to sports, then they also need to be devoted to academics. Isn�t that the soul purpose of attending school, to learn?
     A student gets into a fight at school, but he isn�t suspended because he is the star baseball player. Obviously, this student did something very wrong, but because he is wearing a jersey he isn�t punished. This scenario right here could determine whether a student passes or fails. A student who isn�t an athlete, and a student who is an athlete could have done the exact same thing, discipline wise, but the student would be punished, and nothing would happen to the athlete. When things like this happen, it doesn�t speak very highly of the administration. Although administrators try to deny this and cover it up, it does happen, even right here at Marlboro County High School.
      Many other things go on dealing with athletes and special privileges. At Marlboro County High School, athletes get out of classes to go play Nintendo64. The last time I checked, parents weren�t sending their children to school to play Nintendo. Do all students get out of class to do this? I don�t think so. If all students don�t get to play Nintendo, and get to sleep in class, then why should athletes be able too?
      If something isn�t done now, then athletes will continue to pass by freely, and others will be cheated out of what they strived for all along. I realize that sports are an important role in high school years, but academics should be the main focus and most important. What happens when an athlete goes off to college and gets a scholarship to play a sport? Most likely that coach or administrator who helped them through high school isn�t going to be there with them at college. Now they are going to have to attend school, study, play a sport, and strive to keep their scholarship. Maybe if that athlete would have been a little more determined throughout high school, they would not have been faced with this challenge at all. Is this �special� treatment fair to everyone?