No-pass, no-play, no problem
Dallas Morning News | Schools get around ‘no-pass, no-play law
Making classes exempt from state rule can keep failing athletes in game
The no-pass, no-play law, once hailed as the stiffest academic standard in America, is now diluted by exemptions that let students with poor grades off the hook.The Texas Legislature crafted the landmark reform law in 1984 to bench athletes, band members and youngsters in other extracurricular activities for scoring less than 70 in a class. But school districts have used a loophole to lower that standard for students taking classes labeled advanced.In the past 12 years, Texas school districts have created no-pass, no-play exemptions for classes ranging from calculus and auto shop to yearbook. Some districts exempt more than 100 classes, while others exempt none.
It is such a good thing to know that our school districts make education such a priority here in Texas. I just love loopholes, don’t you? How many professional athletes are there in the United States right now? Is it even remotely worth allowing HIGH SCHOOL athletes to squander their educations for a few glory days? What good is it to 30 year old functional illiterate that they blocked a linebacker or passed a football in 11th or 12th grade when they are struggling to make ends meet? But, I digress, this is Texas and nothing could be more important than that Friday night game even if the schools have to finesse laws so that the boys can play. How can we as a society keep harping on education being so important and continue to allow things like this to go on?
