Should High School Athletes Be Paid?
In a nationwide study conducted in the United States it was found that only 31 of 125 schools incorporated grade point average (GPA) into athletic eligibility (Bukowski). Many students in high school do not have academic requirements of any kind for students to be able to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities. In many schools and communities, it seems as though sports are taking over people’s lives, overshadowing other important commitments in students’ lives. Students are made to believe that athletes rule the school, and grades are often an afterthought. In most cases, athletics will only get a person so far in life. Students should be required to maintain a C average, or 2.0 GPA to be allowed to participate in sports.
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Education is the primary reason for schools, and extracurriculars are secondary. The Los Angeles Unified School District put the rule into effect that, “To be eligible for participation in extracurricular activities students must maintain a C average in four subjects and have no failures,” (Bukowski). Sports are simply extra benefits that come along with attending high school. Students that are in high school should not be rewarded for poor grades in school. Students often do not work to their fullest potential in the classroom because they don’t have to according to the rules put into place by their schools. In a nationwide study, it was found that only six of forty-eight states had a minimum GPA requirement (Bukowski). Also, an athletic director of a school in New Mexico believes that if students were made aware of a minimum GPA requirement, then they would do what was required to be sure that they could participate (Bukowski). If students are not willing to work hard enough in the classroom to maintain a 2.0 GPA, then they may not have the type of work ethic that players and coaches want present on their team. Sports are a privilege that high school students have access
Education is the primary reason for schools, and extracurriculars are secondary. The Los Angeles Unified School District put the rule into effect that, “To be eligible for participation in extracurricular activities students must maintain a C average in four subjects and have no failures,” (Bukowski). Sports are simply extra benefits that come along with attending high school. Students that are in high school should not be rewarded for poor grades in school. Students often do not work to their fullest potential in the classroom because they don’t have to according to the rules put into place by their schools. In a nationwide study, it was found that only six of forty-eight states had a minimum GPA requirement (Bukowski). Also, an athletic director of a school in New Mexico believes that if students were made aware of a minimum GPA requirement, then they would do what was required to be sure that they could participate (Bukowski). If students are not willing to work hard enough in the classroom to maintain a 2.0 GPA, then they may not have the type of work ethic that players and coaches want present on their team. Sports are a privilege that high school students have access