Kingfish Stevens

Absolutely.

I firmly believe that the system would work better if those who make allegations were required to do so for the record and that the record be available to the school being accused and, possibly, to the public in general. If this were the case, the abundance of whining, false accusations, and innuendoes would dramatically decrease. Our legal system requires that we be allowed to confront our accusers. This practice should be extended to the KHSAA.

Along with everything else, Sears needs to return to school and learn a little grammar. His communication skills are a disgrace. Is he really a superintendent?

Excellent point.

Since what you suggest in your final sentence will never happen, I am in full support of your overall proposition.

You are welcome and I will gratiously allow you to bail out of this one.

Many Christian groups spend too much time finding fault with those who do not have the same set of beliefs. It may be better if they practiced the tenet of removing the log from their own eyes before worrying about the speck in the eye of their brother/sister. I am one who firmly believes that no group has all the answers and that all- Southern Baptists, Catholics, Methodists, Campbellites, et als.- have a goodly number of flaws in their "interpretations". Unfortunately, if we are honest, we must admit that the Holy Bible is open to spin and all groups spin to suit their own conclusions.

Your level of indignation is only surpassed by your lack of knowledge as to how colleges work. You need a remedial course in College Admissions 001.

Alex Malloy of Rose Hill. Although having some health problems, he started most every game last year. He is now healthy and should make a big difference.

Actually you have gained supporters. Anyone who "associates" with Nero Wolfe, even The Honorable Mister Parker, cannot be too far off base.

From the overreaction of Silver Shadow and bulldog77, I would say that I unintentionally hit a couple of nerves. I always heard that, when that happens, you have hit too close to home. Sorry, boys, I still stand by the thesis of my posts so I guess maybe we should just agree to disagree. However, it is good to see such staunch public school defenders. I should mention that, for the benefit of bulldog77, I have a long history in public education at all levels from the middle school to the public college. My service covers all areas from teacher to coach to administrator to school board member to, most important of all, involved parent. My colleagues at the college level continually bemoan the fact that, each year, students from Kentucky public schools are less and less prepared for college. If you doubt it, check out the emphasis most public colleges must put on remedial courses. Many students, I am told, must take three remedial math classes before they can even take College Algebra. The path to taking English Composition is quite similar. So, bulldog77, either the college professors that I know well are teaching at schools that only attract the very poorest of students or the public schools are not doing a particularly good job. From personal knowledge, I conclude it is the latter. For this quandry, I do not blame the public school teachers. I blame those who actually make the decisions in the Department of Education and in our colleges of education. One more example, if I may? The level of knowledge of students in the area of English Grammar is embarrassing. Of course, in our modern day of hyped test scores for reward, our English teachers are not trained in English Grammar. It is the blind leading the blind. It is a shame.

I think that we are nitpicking a little. Because of the negative influences that saturate our society, both public students and private students are falling prey to the many destructive temptations that are all around them- television, movies, music, internet, general acceptance of vulgarity, permissiveness, breakdown of the family unit, churches trying more to be social clubs than places of worship, etc. My point is not to downgrade the public schools. It is to state that private schools, by their nature, are better able to rid themselves of these distractions. Thus, private schools, with few exceptions, offer a better opportunity for learning and safety.

Your argument is interesting. Can you document it with facts rather than mere statements? My point is that the public schools must take and accommodate these distractions whereas private schools can pick and choose. If my reference to "wheat" and "chaff" was offensive, I'll change back to the original reference and call them "oranges". Does that really change the discourse? The point remains that there are inherent differences between the atmosphere in a private school and in a public school. Those differences make private education attractive for those who can afford it. It is sad that many cannot. Vouchers would help cure that injustice. I am not taking a shot at the public schools. They do the best they can in light of all the ridiculous rules they must follow. But, although I may applaud the public schools, the problems remain and they are increasing in number and in intensity each year.

SS, you are well known as a public school advocate. Therefore, your post is not a surprise. Of course, you are correct. A few of those "oranges" do make it into private schools. However, I believe it is safe to say that you people get about 99% of them. Wouldn't you have to agree? I know that the public people like to argue that they must take all comers while the private schools can pick and choose. Of course, that is a valid argument. It is also the best argument in favor of private schools. You people must "accommodate" while we private schools do not. Indeed, as the atmosphere of the public schools continues to worsen, the private schools continue to look much better. Why would any parent wish to put his or her child in a situation where violence, drugs, dumbing down, etc. are, by the nature of the system, a staple when a safer environment is available. You people better hope that school vouchers never see the light of day because, if they do, much of your wheat will leave and you will just have your chaff (oranges).

The private schools do not have to put up with the "oranges". Facts are facts and the facts are that private schools can eliminate the "distractions to education" that the public schools must tolerate. All the studies in the world won't change the facts. The atmosphere at a private school is much more "learner friendly".

I think that the posts in this thread clearly illustrate the fact that we have absolutely no idea of what to expect and what not to expect. I suppose it all gets down to faith. I still have problems with the apparent fact that most want to go to Heaven to be with loved ones but that God expects us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind and certainly ahead of our loved ones. I, for one, will be honest enough to admit that I clearly fail that test.

No private school remotely has the resources of the public schools. When the publics whine about a "level playing field", they are using their own definition and it doesn't include money resources.

Is Somerset under water? If everyone there cries as much as Sears and this dubious sports writer, the city must be in a flood state.

Well now, let's see what we would have if Sears's tantrum succeeds in a boycott. The KHSAA is a "voluntary" organization. Schools in Kentucky are not forced to be a member. However, KHSAA rules state that no member school is allowed to play any instate school that is not a member. Therefore, in order to play in the postseason, the private schools would be required be to a member of the organization, with all its resrtictions and liabilities, but would have no games other than against fellow private schools and out of state schools. Or, the private schools could withdraw from the KHSAA and not be allowed to play in postseason. KHSAA has, in reality, pretty much a "closed shop" setup. The result of all of this would be that the students attending the private schools would be seriously damaged by the intentional acts of those in the public schools. The cause-effect relationship would be obvious. Does anyone else see some real furtile ground for litigation if Sears gets his way? As I said earlier, the public schools need to get rid of Sears and get someone more responsible as its front man.

Wilson Sears has already proven himself to be an incompetent fool. If he sent such an email, me should be fired. He has no interest in what is best for his constituency. He merely wants to get his way regardless of what ends he must go to to do so. As more and more people learn about him, it becomes increasingly obvious that the public people need to get another front man. He sure isn't helping their cause.

The article appears in this morning's edition of Ashland Daily Independent. Although the newspaper has a website, I couldn't locate the story in the electronic version. In the article, written by Ronnie Ellis for CNHI News Service, Sears is called "the public voice of those seeking to limit recruiting of public school athletes by private schools". Ellis states that Sears was "totally flabbergasted" by the decision. To quote further from the article: "Sears said Catholic schools 'absolutely' lobbied the committee and he was 'perplexed' by its vote and by its refusal to allow him or other public school advocates to speak before the committee voted." "'The vote was abrupt and without hearing any voices that might educate the members' Sears said. 'It seemed to the point of arrogance and almost rudeness'." I didn't notice Sears's whiny remarks in the LHL version which was written by John Stamper.

The article I read quotes Sears as claiming the subcommittee was "abrupt and arrogant" and that it needed to be educated. I would suggest that many observers would apply these traits to Sears. As for the suggestion that the private schools would not have much to stand on if the matter ends up in the courts, I would disagree. Hopefully, it won't get that far and Sears and his Don Quixote cronies can wither back into their hole to plot some other plan to subdue the windmills.

Actually, no. It is just that some matters are as obvious as is the fact that Tuesday follows Monday. Do you really doubt that they are mental lighweights or do you just want to disagree for the sake of disagreeing? Can I prove that they are lightweights? No. Thankfully, I know little about them. I thought Pearl Jam was one of the Hilton children. But, then, circumstantial evidence can be convincing.

While I would tend to agree, comparing the biased, but informed, Limbaugh to mental lightweights may be stretching it a little. You can compare Limbaugh to Rodham but you need to compare Pearl Jam and Dixie Chicks to expired fertilizer.