If my memory serves me (so I could be completely wrong) there was a time in the KHSD when athletes did have to "pay-to-play"

Could the ones who sign up for 'pay-play' have fundraisers? That's what many organizations do. How about local business sponsorship?  A student could go to a potential business and sign a contract that if he/she keeps grades at least at a "C" average the sponsor would pay for part or all of the student's athletics program. How about the student athlete offer to work for the sponsoring business for the cost of the athletic program?  I think there are many options available it will just take time and energy to look for those options as opposed to sitting by waiting for a hand out.

Thanks for posting his blog, and providing the link to your earlier story, LastRites. I guess I missed the story in that day's edition. In theory "pay-to-play" sounds reasonable as an alternative to the total removal of sports programs at public schools. The opinion and decision in the 1984 case also sounded reasonable for that time period. California still had a public school system that most of the nation looked up to and modeled itself after. That ain't the case today. 

I disagree with your assessment that  "taxpayers can't even support students rights to a basic education." Taxpayers can, but have been told by forces who have big money savings at stake that they shouldn't.

There are a lot of problems that do not need to linger and fester for decades if common sense prevailed. Social Security would be no big issue if the 5.5% deduction was not capped at roughly $90,000 gross as it is today. For those people earning major dollars there is no reason on the planet that the SS withholding should be capped to allow these most fortunate of earners not to contribute the full 5.5% for a year. The vast majority of working people see the withholding all year long, and have the full 5.5% deducted. Social Security could be easily be fully funded into the distant future if that small change was made. I think you know what we hear from the earning elite regarding the dire nature of a government savings program that is the only guarantee left to stave off total starvation and ruin for the most of our elderly.

I won't bore  you with our own local failed road sales-tax initiative that would be providing a wealth of construction jobs and projects today along with the better road conditions if the tax had passed on either of its attempts. For whatever reason people have been duped into thinking what a terrible tax situation the US lives under. We just did our taxes and with the refund we are going to receive our Federal and State income tax liability combined came to about 15%. This on earnings of between 50,000 and 75,000 dollars. People routinely add Social Security and Disabilty into their tax total, but those are social insurance programs and are not taxes. Most nations with real infrastructure and health care are taxed at about 50%. Those places don't have our version of football, but don't worry about the lack of educational opportunities like the US population does.

Your pay-toplay scenario will keep two groups afloat to play if nothing changes on our tax situation here in this state. The poor and the wealthy will get to play. It is the middle class family that will face the real dilemma regarding sports. But given the way this state is going we may not have a middle class much longer, and your plan can be put into action without complaint one.    

Edmomom -- I'll have to look into that. It had to have been before 1984.

witterpitters -- Fundraising is a great option to raise money. Problem is that most high school teams do utilize fundraisers, except it's to pay for uniforms or out-of-town trips (hotels, food, etc...). I'm extremely supportive of fundraisers, unfortunately we buy all our stuff from my wife's school.

adampayne -- I'll just deal with one problem. I can't touch SS or mismanagement of federal funds by the idiots we voted for. I've been told you don't play sports at the high school level in European countries, every thing is a club sport. Every club has a sponsorship deal, and every town prides itself by the club team.

Maybe, we should eliminate high school sports and Bakersfield can have the Bolthouse Farms JackRabbits (an all-star team of football players) that would play Fresno, Clovis and other cities in California. There would be about 10 teams based on age and ability. How Euro?

ADAM:.....................AMEN!!!!!!

Both my grandsons are on travel baseball teams. In Carlsbad it was year round as the weather was great, now they are in Virginia. The teams still practice 3-4 times a week indoors and as soon as it warms up will start the tournaments again. Parents pay for all of it, plus private pitching and hitting lessons!!

When I played HS Football in 94-95 at BHS, we had to pay an athletic participation fee of $10.  It was funded by a car wash done at the beginning of the school year.  I know that there have been additions to what is classified a sport in the local high school scene.  Cheerleading was not considered a school sport so only the girls that could afford it were the ones who participated.  That has changed recently over the last ten years or so.  I remember asking Mr Reese, the principal at BHS this question when I noticed that there were more Black cheerleaders while I was student teaching at the school in '01-'02.

JF: At some point cheer leading stopped being  a popular vote. Schools finally got smart and invited former cheerleaders and some local dance instructors, who knew no one trying out, to review the tryouts and decide who was best qualified to be a cheerleader. The only thing I see now as kind of dumb is they now have 20+ instead of 4 cheer and 4 yell. It seems they don't want anybody's feelings to get hurt by being "rejected". Good thing I had a suitable ego for all the rejection I withstood in HS!!!!! Singing, dancing, stage, cheer................at some point or the other there was a rejection - I just kept trying until I made it!! or, I found something else to do with my time! 

Does this mean they'll have to expand fireworks sales? I'm all for it!!

PP2....They'd have to sell the "illegal" kind to generate enough cash to maintain a sports program.

Parents should be paying for sports. Really silly for the rest of us to do it.

Of course, many programs already get huge funding from private sources. If something has to be cut, we should start there.

I'd be OK with that. It's not like people don't use them anyway, the only drawback being that some potential star athlete could lose a limb or 2.

Seriously though, I think if school bands have to raise their own money, so should the sports.

I think the rest of should do it if it's affordable.  Maybe schools can focus on their strengths (i.e. have large attendance) while dropping weeker programs (i.e. ones with lower attendance).  Schools can have a niche or "something they're known for" which would give more relevance to the open enrollment program in the KHSD.

 Seriously though, I think if school bands have to raise their own money, so should the sports.

Excellent point! And maybe the athletes will appreciate it more if they have to earn it.

When I was in band in high school we had to raise money, too.  We would sell these gift certificates for Albertsons. Had that changed?

I know the boosters clubs play a big part in high school sports.  What part of that goes to the athletes activities?

The West High Boosters put on a heck of a feed and they were packed at every game.  Where does that, and the T shirt, hats etc money go?

Pay to play by itself is discriminatory. Schools in poorer areas will cease from being competitive if even existing. Scholarships are fine and dandy except for, what criteria doe you use? Will it be needs based only? Will there be that nasty little 'Q' word all conservatives hate: QUOTAS? I also have to agree with the assessment that working/middle class families will suffer the most. If you do have a scholarship program that means a bigger bureaucracy. How involved will the application process be?

How about ditching the idea of scholarships and fund raising? Instead, how about a SLIDING fee scale. Each parent or guardian pays SOMETHING according to their ability to pay...even if its only ONE DOLLAR.

There's one other irony you run into here that makes pay to play a condradiction in terms. How many kids, like myself, rode the bench for 75% of their high school career? How many will pay if their prospects of playing is slim to nil to begin with? If the parents are paying, they are going to feel as they the coaching staff has a FINANCIAL OBLIGATION to give their kid fair playing time, no? Just something to ponder...

Very true, patrick.  I never really thought of it hat way.  I rode the bench most of my career and some parent may not want to pay the fees if their child participates sparingly.

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I think The Parents of the players ought to pay. As for mid-low income Come on they are like any one else if you really want it you pay for it. no matter your financial situation. Why should the parents with no kids in any sports program have to pay? If there is an out of town trip parents shuold either be responsible for getting their own child there or throw in some money for gas and Transportation . After all The Public Schools Do not Have to Provide Transportation to Any Child[  to & from school or to sports, It is a luxury they offer at the Schools Expense. I even say that the student who use the bus to get to and from school should have to pay for a bus pass(NO SLIDING SCALE Make it a set Price) You either pay or you don't get the service!!!

I don't have a horse in this race but I know of a lot of kids who wouldn't have been able to go to college without a sports scholorship.  Seems like that would doubly hurt the low income sector.  I know they can get needs grants and student loans so I'm a little on the fence about this.

Since I DON'T have a horse in this race, my tax dollars go to fund programs that don't affect me.  Or do they?  Aren't we all affected by future generations?  

Curious.

I didn't take a stance in the column because I just wanted to throw the "pay-to-play" option on the wall and hope it stuck in the minds of our readers. It has. This is a hot topic, and we're planning on a few stories in the coming weeks to answer your questions, plus the ones I've received in my e-mail.

Real quick I'd like to address Patrick's comment. This isn't about paying to play a sport. It should be called 'pay-to-participate." But  in reality, it's about paying so your sport exists. That's the reason, I brought this up. KHSD is discussing eliminating sports, and I wanted to discuss the notion of parent's paying a nominal fee to make sure their children can continue to play high school sports.

Pay-to-participate beats the options that KHSD threw out a few days back. Am I right?

The cuts are going to hurt no matter how you cut it (pun intended).  Schools need to look at their priorities and assess what is important.  First and foremeost academics should be first.  If there is money for the extra curriculars then, and only then, they should address that issue. 

I would hate a school to lose Academic resources to have a sports program.  This is happening and Fresno State and it's perfectly okay because the football coach will play "anyone, anytime, anywhere".

SHEILA:  I even say that the student who use the bus to get to and from school should have to pay for a bus pass(NO SLIDING SCALE Make it a set Price) You either pay or you don't get the service!!!

Down south the students DO have to pay to ride the school bus ($700 for the school year), Carlsbad, Calif.   You sign up for a bus seat and they do a lottery draw  to see who gets the seat!! If your kids' name is not drawn the parent is responsible to get the kid to school. Many no longer even offer school bus service; all field trips have to have parent participation as that is how they get to go on field trips (no gas or wear & tear reimbursement). My daughter has a GMC Yukon so she always volunteered to take several kids. Many of those schools have parents who are aides in the classroom (free) library attendants (free). The school was always having fundraisers for school equipment and supplies. There is no after school activities - but they do have early morning tutoring if a student needs help with some homework, usually a parent or older student (free).  Of course my question is..............where are the tax dollars going? Where is the lottery money that was supposed to go to schools? 

Many of the schools (down south) no longer have cafeterias. Child brings their lunch or orders of a menu. Food is brought in - kids eat outside on a patio.

Now all of the above info pertains to elementary and Jr. High schools. I do not know how the HS's operate.

Food at school is a mostly federal issue.  I believe we talked that one to death about a month ago.

OK, I'm scratching my head here. If your not playing, your not participating. Last Rites, I respectfully disagree with you on that point.  Do you honestly belief a parent or a student for that matter is going to appreciate the difference you speak of: playing versus participating?  I don't know if, as a parent myself, I'm going to pay the $100 for my kid to wear pads and a jersey to sit and WATCH all year.

And the comparison to Carlsbad, CA is a poor one. North San Diego County is demographically as different as night and day to Kern County.

 Just an FYI!  KHSD has a sports policy that everyone plays, with no fees or cuts.  Also the Booster accounts are for coaching clinics and trips.  The money in that account must be raised by the parents.   The sales of candy by students must go in the ASB account.  Also most every sport does a fundraiser of some sort. The loop hole to that is parent participation.  It is generally the same parents that help.  An some parents don't seem to make the time.  The spring sports don't charge admission to spectators except for track.  They can make money that way.  Also you can make money on concessions for your team by getting each player to donate a food or beverage item. 

Why can't we have Bakersfield leagues compete among themselves.  High schools play each other a minimum of twice a season. The idea that a conference championship could be determined by a one night stand is ridiculous anyway.

Our kids need sports. Our schools need money.  We don't need to be wasting fuel and money running around pretending we have anointed the true state champion.

Teams from outside major metro areas would still have to travel.  But cuts must be made.

I recommend cutting the state champion circuit as a starter.

( every time I think about parents who red shirt kindergartners so they can have 20 yo state high school  champions. I go into a rant.. sorrry)  :>)

( every time I think about parents who red shirt kindergartners so they can have 20 yo state high school  champions. I go into a rant.. sorrry)  :>)

See Jimmy Clausen

J,


And right here in River City.

BHS/Clovis…

 

Yeah.  I can think of some right now at both schools but I think it would be inappropriate to name names.  BHS also had a hoops star a few years back who had a couple of years on the competition.  He was dominating as a freshman.

What's not to understand Patrick. Participation is being on the team or as Allen Iverson refers to it as "PRACTICE." Yes, we're talking about practice. NOT A GAME. PRACTICE. That is participation. You pay to participate and hope the coach calls your name. Just because you pay doesn't make you a starter. You need more than just 24 guys on a football team, not all will start.

It's not trivial with all due respect. If you don't pay, your son/daughter might not have a sport to play. That's the point of the column. To put out that KHSD needed options, and "pay-to-play" is one of them that needs to be investigated.

If you don't want to pay the fee, your kid doesn't play/participate in sports. It's that simple.

If schools are hurting that bad maybe they should cut the programs outright.  If times are hard maybe make athletic teams play as club sports loosely affiliated with the school and let the schools concentrate on academics. 

Unfortunately, that's an option.  As I said in an early comment. That's very Euro. And the conservative folk in Bako don't like Euros, so that's not going to happen anytime soon.

It's also very Canadian.  I played in the CJFL for a year while in college in Canada and thought it was a great concept for kids who were not interested in school and it got rid of this American myth of  student-athlete at the collegiate level.  They even offered scholarships to players after there junior football careers are over.  They do the same thing for hockey. 

As much as I love sports (especially Driller football), more of a focus on academics wouldn't hurt.

Sadly, cutting sports may be the only way to make the adult taxpayers see that there is a real financial crisis.

spam code: Drkoo

danetteb comments that  "The sales of candy by students must go in the ASB account."

I was wondering about that.  I thought that all candy based fund raising in public schools was nixed in Cali because Arnold S. thinks Cali kids are too fat and they should not eat candy.   Does anyone know for sure what the current rules are?   Texas did the same....they even forbid homemede cupcakes for elementary school b-day parties. 

As I stated in my blog, titled "KHSD, leave sports alone," schools should be allowed to have fundraisers.  Problem is, the KHSD apparently doesn't allow certain kinds of fundraisers, including raffles.  The cheerleading coach at Centennial, who happens to be a friend of mine, said the district doesn't allow raffles.  That must be a new rule, because I won a 13'' TV from a raffle that the Centennial cheerleaders put on back in 2000.  Why not allow raffles or at least 50-50 type of drawings?

You're right, LastRites, "pay-to-participate" does beat cutting sports.

Here's another option if sports are to be given the ax.  How about intramural type of sports like they have at some universities.  Maybe the schools could create leagues consisting of several teams for various different sports.  Each team would consist of students from that school and would play against other teams from that school.  Maybe the teams could be made up of all freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors (much like how the powderpuff teams are).  There would be boys teams and girls teams.  Play the games in the afternoon after school and encourage volunteers to help with stuff like concessions.  Charge spectators a couple of dollars for admission and have the cheerleaders there to cheer for the teams, and have them dress in their uniforms at school to spread pride for the event, just like they do today.

That's only a suggestion.  I still think the KHSD should leave sports alone as is.

Also, maybe a bus pass program is not such a bad idea, but not at a rate of $700 per person per year, especially in economic times like this.  Maybe a few dollars a week.