My first blog ever…so here, I sit
on a Monday night writing a blog that will hopefully help me pay for books when
the spring semester starts.
Until then I am a part-time student
and a full-time substitute teacher for the town in which I live.
Today I was (--insert favorite
teacher’s name here--), who teaches Business at the local high school. OK brace
yourself because what I am about to tell you is the truth, and it will piss you
off.
Braced? Or at the very least are
you sitting?
After I introduce myself to the
class and explain the assignment that must complete before class is over I
begin talking to a lady (we will call her Sara)
that I thought was my teacher’s assistant for the period. But boy was I wrong!
Come to find out Sara that I was
speaking with is actually a teacher who is in the class to help a student with
reading.
For those of you who have substitute
taught you know that this is normal—for those of you who do not substitute teach
just trust me, it is normal.
So Sara keeps talking and out of pure boredom I keep listening to the
lady who is old enough to be my grandmother.
OK if you were not sitting now is
REALLY the time.
The student that Sara helps with reading is a senior and
about to attend college. Here is the catch he (lets give him a name as well,
lets call him Brad) is on the same reading level as a FIRST GRADER! Here is the
greatest part: Brad is getting a full, yes I will repeat that, full ride to Villanova
for football.
Not only will Nova pay for Brad’s
schooling he is also awarded a 24-hour tutor who will be available whenever good-looking,
athletic, I cannot read Brad decides to do his homework.
Here are my questions:
1. How
did Brad make it past the first grade, let alone high school?
2. If
Brad cannot read how will be take a test at Villanova?
3. If
Brad cannot read then how will Brad write papers at Villanova?
4. What
happens if Brad gets hurt and can no longer play football?
5. Most
importantly, what happens to us? The students who deserve to be in college, who
truly want to be there but cannot afford the huge price tags of the Villanovas,
the Georgetowns, and the Princetons?
Why will Brad be awarded textbooks
that he cannot read? While we work full-time, take out loans and blog to afford
our textbooks. This is not fair. I have been a hard working student ever since
I started my schooling, I have had a 3.5 my whole college career and yet I can
barely afford tuition. Yet, Brad who can run fast with a ball in his hand will
get to go to one of the best schools around and yet he cannot read the sign
telling him which way the cafeteria is.
I think that the school district in
which I teach and Villanova have a lot of explaining to do.
"Brad" will be an asset in some way to Villanova. At least he is improving an aspect of the school. The full-ride scholarship is obviously not academic, it is athletic. There are limitations on athletic scholarships, like maintaining a certain grade-point average, which explains why he has been given a tutor option. "Brad" will either pull himself together, and improve his academic skills, or he will become ineligible for the football team. This works just like high school. And no college wants to pay for a player that is not playing...so if his grades fail, he will be kicked out of college, and another student (possibly one of the less fortunate you refer to...) will replace him. At least he is going to college. Many stellar athletes do not attend college. So, I think it is great that Villanova gets a star athlete that is still being educated. Like I stated before, if he fails out of college (even though coaches may pamper them, players can only push the administration so far), then someone else will replace him (the reason for transfers). Don't assume that if someone plays a sport that they will just get thrown into college for free, and never have to do any work.
There are rumors in my area that kids graduate (high school) without the ability to read.
These kind of situations make it feel so much more unfair to have to work hard for an education. But at least I will have something to fall back on: intelligence!