State Board Committee

[ladiesbballcoach]

Courier Journal Article on this vote

 

 

 

LBBC: With all due respect, can't you for once get past your issues with private schools and see that maybe, just maybe, the state BOE is looking out for what is best for ALL students and not just those that attend public schools.

I have no issue with private schools. I have said REPEATEDLY on here that if there was a Christian private school for my children to attend with 45 minutes of me, they would attend it. I would LOVE for my students to attend Calvary Christian or Lexington Christian but one is 45 minutes away and the other is an hour. Not a realistic option.

 

I have explored the option of finding employment WITH Calvary Christian so that my children attending would be an option.

 

Even though I would LOVE for my children to attend a private Christian school does not mean that I would not recognize they have an advantage. Of course they would.

 

I would LOVE for my children to have all the advantages including the ones that extend BEYOND the athletic field that they would have in a private school setting that they DONT in a public school setting.

[Trinity alum]

C-J Story

 

Interesting statement here considering district-to-disctrict, there are discrepancies in feeder systems and boundaries. Even now, we are playing by the same "rules" as the rest of the publics...especially in open enrollment districts. Would Mr. Sears have the open enrollment public schools revert to closed districts?

 

We do we play under the same KHSAA rules today. Under the proposals favored by Speers (if he can't have complete separation) we would shift to DIFFERENT rules. As I understand it, he would like the private schools to be limited to defined feeder schools. Kids that attend public schools prior to high school would be prohibited from playing for a private high school. No such restriction would be in place for kids that attend a private school prior to high school and a public high school.

[ladiesbballcoach]

We do we play under the same KHSAA rules today. Under the proposals favored by Speers (if he can't have complete separation) we would shift to DIFFERENT rules. As I understand it, he would like the private schools to be limited to defined feeder schools. Kids that attend public schools prior to high school would be prohibited from playing for a private high school. No such restriction would be in place for kids that attend a private school prior to high school and a public high school.

I would agree with your post. If they limit private schools, all school systems should be limited.

 

I would say that it is not the rules that are being questioned but the system that the rules has created that is not equal. They are striving to make something equal that I am not sure can be made equal.

[rockmom]

My view would be yes. And you can't just open enrollment to every school district. Rural counties lose out in that situation because you are not going to drive an hour to attend school. What you will do is MOVE there but now you are in the school boundaries.

 

 

There's absolutely no way to rectify the issue, lbbc. Larger districts have to take care of their students' needs as well. I feel that there are choices to be made, and if you choose to live in an area where the choices are limited, then don't complain when other school districts have more advantages in procuring students. Rural counties aren't the only counties with students to be considered, just as urban counties aren't.

 

Kentucky schools, as well as any other county government agency, is victim to one overriding issue...the number of counties in Kentucky. Funding, population, everything is divided out to the smallest degree. We'll never be able to erase the disparities between larger population centers and the smaller.

[ladiesbballcoach]

There's absolutely no way to rectify the issue, lbbc. Larger districts have to take care of their students' needs as well. I feel that there are choices to be made, and if you choose to live in an area where the choices are limited, then don't complain when other school districts have more advantages in procuring students. Rural counties are the only counties with students to be considered, just as urban counties aren't.

 

Kentucky schools, as well as any other county government agency, is victim to one overriding issue...the number of counties in Kentucky. Funding, population, everything is divided out to the smallest degree. We'll never be able to erase the disparities between larger population centers and the smaller.

I would agree with what you have said. The reluctance of this state to accept this and make class changes based upon size. That reluctance has partially led to the problem we now face. As a mid-major county, it is hard for us to compete at most levels. My county received 2 transfer students over the past 4 years. Those two transfer students have been a WORLD of difference to the success of our athletic programs. Without 2 transfer students, who knows where we would be.

[HHSDad]

Should the rules be written to level the playing field for sports or for education? I would suggest the latter of the two. Open enrollment allows more choices for student's education. But I guess athletics will always be more important than education in the high schools.

[ladiesbballcoach]

Should the rules be written to level the playing field for sports or for education? I would suggest the latter of the two. Open enrollment allows more choices for student's education. But I guess athletics will always be more important than education in the high schools.

For some yes. For some no. For the media, yes. If you disagree, show me in the papers or on the television where I can get the scores of the Academic team meets. For society, yes. The media fills what they feel is society's needs. So they show the athletic scores and not the academic scores because that is what the community wants.

 

Sad state of affairs but reality.

[Trinity alum]

For some yes. For some no. For the media, yes. If you disagree, show me in the papers or on the television where I can get the scores of the Academic team meets. For society, yes. The media fills what they feel is society's needs. So they show the athletic scores and not the academic scores because that is what the community wants.

 

Sad state of affairs but reality.

I have to agree with you. When I was in high school (ack in the dark ages) the Courier Journal ran a picture and a brief bio on National Merit Scholars. The format was similar to what they do for All-State football and basketball players. There is almost no mention of such things today. I would love to see the media put some emphasis on academic achievement.

[ladiesbballcoach]

I have to agree with you. When I was in high school (ack in the dark ages) the Courier Journal ran a picture and a brief bio on National Merit Scholars. The format was similar to what they do for All-State football and basketball players. There is almost no mention of such things today. I would love to see the media put some emphasis on academic achievement.

We have been agreeing alot recently. What's going on?

[Trinity alum]

We have been agreeing alot recently. What's going on?

I suspect we would agree on more things than you might suspect. It's just more fun to talk about areas where we disagree.

[ladiesbballcoach]

I suspect we would agree on more things than you might suspect. It's just more fun to talk about areas where we disagree.

Very true.

[All Play No Work]

I cannot see a defined feeder system for private and public schools being a solution because there are too many factors.

 

For example, as brought to light by the recent failed tax levy in Campbell County for Campbell Co. schools:

 

Did you know that their are streets in the city of Fort Thomas that are part of the Campbell Co school district and not the Fort Thomas school district?

 

So if a family resides in Fort Thomas who is going to tell them they cannot go to Highlands High school 3 miles away but must attend Campbell Co. high school 17 miles away?

[ladiesbballcoach]

I cannot see a defined feeder system for private and public schools being a solution because there are too many factors.

 

For example, as brought to light by the recent failed tax levy in Campbell County for Campbell Co. schools:

 

Did you know that their are streets in the city of Fort Thomas that are part of the Campbell Co school district and not the Fort Thomas school district?

 

So if a family resides in Fort Thomas who is going to tell them they cannot go to Highlands High school 3 miles away but must attend Campbell Co. high school 17 miles away?

I think we all agree that there is no easy solution to this problem. It is a many faceted problem and the solution that comes out of it probably will be so watered down it will not help the situation but simply delay it. Too many times that is what happens in politics. I hope I am proven wrong and someone is smarter than me to come up with a solution that actually addresses the situation but I won't hold my breath.

[All Play No Work]

I think we all agree that there is no easy solution to this problem. It is a many faceted problem and the solution that comes out of it probably will be so watered down it will not help the situation but simply delay it. Too many times that is what happens in politics. I hope I am proven wrong and someone is smarter than me to come up with a solution that actually addresses the situation but I won't hold my breath.

 

I hope so too but given that we have:

 

1. Private schools with districts

2. Private schools with no districts

3. Open enrollment counties

4. Independant school districts

5. Closed districts/counties

6. School district lines that do not match city/county lines

7. State Border schools

8. Schools consolidating/opening constantly

 

It is enough to make your head spin.

[scooterbob]

There is no fair solution. Although the present system is far from perfect, perfection is not possible. There is no equitable way to appease those who insist on special concessions. With its imperfections, the present system has worked for many years. Any "compromise" will serve to hurt some for the, in truth, selfish benefit of others. Why not leave well enough alone? We have classes for football and the Class A torunament for the small schools in basketball. Maybe the real solution for basketball is to have classes for the state tournament?

Actually, the publics and KHSAA should thank the privates. Anyone attending the football finals in Louisville knows that any financial success enjoyed from the event is due to the crowds brought by the Catholic schools. I would think the publics would not want to separate from this subsidy.