Follow rodfrisco.com of Facebook and Twitter. Click the buttons below the team categories on the right side of this page.
—
I had a zillion things to do today, the most important of which was attending my daughter’s jazz band concert at Central Dauphin Middle School near Harrisburg. I could care less about jazz-y music (I’m more of a Foo Fighters or Linkin Park guy) unless my daughter’s playing it. Then I’m a mega-fan (proud dad moment: she’s first trumpet in the brass ensemble).
The point is, I didn’t get to this rant until I returned home. Normally, I would apologize for this, but not tonight. The jazz band concert provided me with my subject: Pontificating teachers.
The teacher directing the concert appears to be a fine music teacher; his jazz band of 6th, 7th and 8th graders was very good, and he displayed the requisite enthusiasm and direction that was reflected in his students’ performance. So, no problem there.
But in between each set while a new band or ensemble set up, he kept reminding the parents in attendance how important music programs are in schools. Again, no problem with the main point: Extracurriculars absolutely enrich the educational experience and are worth the relatively small amount of money schools spend on same.
But he kept returning to the subject, each time edging closer to his primary, undeclared point: I don’t want to lose my job!
And he – or someone in his department – just might. Central Dauphin is facing an $8 million budget deficit for the next school year, and the battle between taxpayers and the obstinate teachers union is on. Extracurriculars are not on the block per se, but some teaching positions could be axed as the board struggles with how to balance the books.
What does this have to do with sports? Well, let me put it this way. Suppose a high school football coach was also a teacher on the chopping block. And suppose the coach, during every timeout, whipped out a bullhorn or a microphone and constantly harangued the crowd about the importance of sports in our schools.
Well, the music crowd all nodded their heads and applauded the music teacher when he kept bleating on about it. By contrast, the football fans would all scream, “Shut up and call a play that works!”
I am a football fan. So after the eighth straight reminder to support “the kids” and “their programs” (read: our jobs), I started looking around for my own bullhorn (damn, left it in the van) to start screaming “Pay cuts now!” It was that annoying.
Yet, I saw plenty of people nodding in agreement before bursting into applause, unwilling to reveal themselves as heretics. “Yes, yes! We LOVE our children. MORE TEACHERS, HIGHER SALARIES AND HUGE PENSIONS, PLEASE!!!”
Well, sure. I love my kids and their music and their sports and their graphic arts, too. And as I said at the outset, I believe they have as legitimate a place in the schools as algebra and indecipherable locker combinations.
But I have some news for the soft-brained people who think that school funds just fall out of the government tree at no cost to the private sector. The old game is over. Done. And all of the teacher propaganda doesn’t change the reality of an $8 million budget deficit. Something, including my beloved sports, have to change with the circumstances.
No matter how much we love our children.
