That's a fair guess. I go to a private Catholic college. Just some examples, but when you hear about Catholic high schools who basically kick girls out of school if they are pregnant, make everyone cover tattoos during athletics, etc., it kind of does that to your image.

 

I have no problem with dress codes, covering tattoos etc.. When it comes to private schools, Catholic or not, it really doesn't matter how good your school is if your public image does not support it. If the image the school portrays declines, the public will automatically assume the quality of the school goes down. This is an unjust assumption but it is the reality of the matter.

 

About 5 years ago, Shultz PR Company (I think that is the name) did a city wide random survey where they wanted get an idea of the public view of high schools. If you were selected, you could rate a school as high as 100. Trinity and St. X both finished in the high 90's neck and neck of each other. Right below them was Manual, Sacred Heart, Assumption, right below them was DeSales, Mercy, Christian Academy, below them Male, Ballard and so on. Keep in mind, this was the public perception by the result of the survey, Shultz did not have any influence on the results other than compiling, interpreting and reporting them. I guarantee you, if X or Trinity were to suddenly decide ties are no longer required but nothing else changed especially academically, and the survey was done again a few years later, the school that still required ties would creep up a little higher than the other. Again, no logical reason, just perception. This is why I look at the dress codes, hair codes, tattoo codes, etc. as fine as far as I am concerned.

 

As far as kicking out pregnant girls, some of the Catholic Girls Schools (or possibly all??) no longer kick them out. There are two parts to that change. One, just compassion for the girl and two, fear that if a girl is on the fence about keeping the child or aborting, the fear of being expelled may tip the girl/parents to get the abortion which would go against a major Catholic teaching. I know many on here may say that the schools should not consider that because the pregnancy and abortion are the fault of the school. I know for myself, if I could do something to dissuade a girl from having an abortion despite my not having any moral or ethical obligation to do so, I would not think twice and still take the action to prevent the abortion so I think it is the correct action by the high schools. I know some of the veteran teachers who were around when the change was made fully support the change but admit, a pregnant girl does add a large distraction to the class room. I believe the public school in Louisville do remove or offer the option to remove pregnant girls. I believe that is what TAPPs on Westport Road (in Louisville) is for.

What is there in the New York Times interview that is so disturbing to everyone?

 

"For Craig Owens Jr., a bulky 18-year-old senior who is a 6-3 power forward, it is easy to explain his unbridled love of basketball. His father always attended his games. But for the past year, Craig has played while his father, who sold cocaine, has been in prison.

 

Craig attends Trinity High School, a Catholic, all-boys private school in Louisville. His mother, Carmelita Clay, 38, is proud of her son, and shows visitors his shiny state championship ring.

 

Clay, who is single and a nurse, has tried to navigate the difficulties of supporting Craig’s dreams. It has been a trying time for her family. Her younger son was recently found to have spinal stenosis after a football injury.

 

The family sees basketball, and the college degree it could bring Craig, as a possible lifeline, even if Clay knows that her son is probably too small to play power forward at a competitive program. “He’s good,” she said, “but he’s behind on where he should be.”

 

Craig, who scored 7 points in a Trinity win Saturday, understands he may never get a scholarship, but he is determined this season to prove he deserves a shot.

 

“I’m not trying to let my mom spend more money on something I can control,” he said. “I want that scholarship bad, especially a D-1 scholarship.”

 

It looks like a kid who wants to be recruited and whose Mom wants him to succeed. His Mother obviously works hard and is proud of him. I just don't read the article and see what the big deal is as far as he goes.

 

It seems as though people are saying that he shouldn't be able to share his story. To me, that says, "I don't really care what you go through or how you feel deep down. Shut up and win some games. Look at all we've done for you. Thank us."

 

Disturbing for me is mom saying "he is behind where he should be." He's been a starter for Louisville Magic's premier team for 3 years. The last thing I want to see is another crazy parent with unrealistic expectations on television.

Disturbing for me is mom saying "he is behind where he should be." He's been a starter for Louisville Magic's premier team for 3 years. The last thing I want to see is another crazy parent with unrealistic expectations on television.

 

Fair criticism. At first glance I just took it to mean "he needs to keep getting better". On second glance, I can see where you are coming from with that.

I would tend to agree with you for the most part, but with that said I think it would only go badly for the mom and/or kid. I don't think it would have anything to do with the school looking bad at all.

Does Real Houswives of Atlanta make the NBA teams look bad? Does Real Housewives of Beverly Hills make California look any worse than it already does? Does Real Mob Wives make the Garden State look really bad? The answer to all the above is the only thing that looks bad in all those shows are the featured people in them, not who or what they are affiliated with. Same with this show, it won't make the schools look bad because of a couple things and the main thing is being able to film at the schools games. If they were banned from all the games then whata good would the show be for the producers?

 

 

Jersey Shore - need I say more? Who wants to go to Seaside Heights?!

Jersey Shore - need I say more? Who wants to go to Seaside Heights?!

I don't see it that way, I see it as there are stupid people everywhere. This show if it ever comes to fruition will either show the moms as idiots or well liked people, but in no way do I see it as people watching the show put the stigma on the schools.

I don't see it that way, I see it as there are stupid people everywhere. This show if it ever comes to fruition will either show the moms as idiots or well liked people, but in no way do I see it as people watching the show put the stigma on the schools.

 

 

Maybe not a majority of the people but there will be some who will.

Maybe not a majority of the people but there will be some who will.

Sure, but that is the case in almost everything.

 

Talk to an actor who was in a famous movie or tv show and they will tell you stories of how people who come up to them on the street mistake them for their characters or ask stupid questions about parts they played in movies etc.

 

This one always comes to mind, the Actor who played Billy Batts in the movie Goodfellas tells of a story about a woman who recognized him on the street and asked him while filming the movie, after he was killed and put in the trunk of the car there was the scene that Joe Pesci, Ray Liota and Robert Deniro went ot PEsci's mothers house and she cooked them a big meal and they ate while the car with the body was sitting in the driveway. She asked him how he was able to breath in the trunk of the car all during that scene. She never thought that he wasn't really in the trunk of the car lol. Never crossed her mind.

 

So yes, there are people who will always put 1 and 1 together and never get 2, but what can we do about it? Just know there is stupidity everywhere.

I was at the Ballard/Trinity game at Fairdale the other night. I didn't see any extra cameras and I didn't notice Craig Owens' mother at all. I'd actually forgot about it until now.