Residents call foul

If these people were half as dedicated to getting their children a good education as they are about sports, the schools would be turning out kids with the IQ of Einstein by the hundreds. Instead, they are whining about budget cuts that may affect the sports program.

Be realistic people. The ONLY reason most parents enroll their kids in sports is to live their life through their kids. Many of them didn't do well in sports, so they are looking for a second chance at the bragging rights through their children. Many of the children I've spoken with over the years didn't really want to play, and were shoved into playing by their parents. For Christ's sake people, let your kids be kids and enjoy their childhood while they can. They will be booted in the adult world soon enough without you giving them false hopes of being a sports legend. Maybe you should take a close look at the miserable lives many sports legends lead. Many die broke, addicted to drugs or dead. Is that any way to live?

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Puremagix, IQ is an innate ability, the schools have no control whatsoever over childrens' IQ's.

I have had friends for many decades that I had no contact with other than sports growing up. It teaches kids the value of teamwork and how to set goals and work towards those goals. It teaches kids accountability to people besides themselves. In school it allows kids to be part of a positive group. The friendships develop last a lifetime. There are tons of good things that come from sports rather than adults trying to live vicariously through their kids.

On a more constructive note, if sports are truly on the chopping block, would it not make sense to try adding a modest surcharge to the recreational league registration that would go to the middle schools? Perhaps an extra dollar for registration for each kid. It might help close the gap a little.

Or purhaps a similar surcharge for admittance into the highschool sporting events.

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Puremagix, I am not sure that you were reading the same article that we read. I was at the meeting last night, and what the parents are trying to do is keep the middle school sports program there so that those kids that want to play, have that option. Most children are not "forced" into playing sports, most "choose" to play sports. Playing sports helps kids realize that they have to do well academically or they cannot play. They work hard in both areas so that they can feel good about themselves. It helps with self-esteem, and several other qualities. Maybe you were not good at sports and therefore think that you should put those down that are good at playing sports. Whatever the reason for your comments, there are those of us who would work hard to make sure that our children are given the same opportunities as every other child when it comes to academics and/or sports. I want my children to be able to excel in whatever he/she desires.

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Soccer, from what I've seen, many children are forced to play. I could name several children who told their parents they didn't want to play and their parents had a fit. When it boild down to it, sports should not have been funded by the schools anyway. The money from levies and federal money is for education putposes, not football, basketball and other sports. In fact, the problem has grown so large, that students are being given grades they didn't deserve so they could participate in the sports program. I was at a Upshur BOE meeting once when the issue of home schooling came up. The board was against it because if enough parents took their children out of school, they would lose their Triple A rating. Sports is not the primary function of schools, education is. Employers couldn't care less how well you child did in sports.

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Wise, if sports is so important to parents, then the parents shouldn't have a problem funding them. There are billions of dollars wasted on sports programs each year, and out students are leaving high school with a substandard education. Many can't do simple math, read properly, balance their checkbook or make change. Just exactly what are these kids going to do when they graduate?

Even the ones that go to college usually end up choosing a career path in a dead end profession with a success rate of a solar powered flashlight. I know kids that have been in college for three years and still don't have a major. Many others find out collegeis actually work and then drop out. Our schools are failing miserable and the parents are encouraging it.

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Parents don't have a problem funding them, the problem is that by and large the community doesn't care enough about the schools in general. If they did, the bond and levies would have passed, but instead they were beaten by a large margin.

I've played every sport I could, and I've coached several teams in baseball and soccer as an adult, and there are VERY few kids that are being forced into it. And in all of these recreational leagues, the parents are indeed paying for it. They pay for it through registration fees, by volunteering time, by running the concession stands, etc.

Money spent on sports is not "wasted". Myself and soccermom have given multiple examples of how its good for kids. I don't see how you equate money spent on sports with poor math skills. They are independent activities.

You bemoan the money spent on sports and poor education while simultaneously discrediting college as well. You make a lot of blanket statements that are patently false.

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Folks, just ignore puremagic. He does'nt like anything or anybody....

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Wise, you seem to forget, people don't have any extra money to spare to give to the schools to waste on more pet projects they don't need. Upshur County is bad about that. They just built a new primary school, and purchased a piece of property next to the high school and paid well above what it was worth, on the assumption they would get another levy to pay for it. Now they are ticked off at the people of Upshur County for not giving it to them.

I don't have a problem helping the schools, but now is not the time to be asking people to dig deeper. They simply don't have it, and for the elderly, a new levy can put their home in jeopardy when they can't meet the new tax obligation. The BOE's in this state need to consider the hardships they place on a lot of people when they want more money from them. There are few people in this state that make $100,00+ a year like the Upshur County Superintendent of Schools in this county.

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Oh Boo Hoo. I bet the entire group of parents AND their kids' IQ combined wouldn't make the grade to be even registered.

SPORTS is an 'extra-curricular' activity. PAY for it yourselves. Taxpayers should NOT be paying for after school sports. Parents fund it or get rid of it.

Teach the kids to READ, WRITE, SPELL, ADD, SUBTRACT, HISTORY, SCIENCE and stop making them stupid but hey, they can play ball. Duh!

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Just listen to these parents. I bet not ONE of them would have showed up if they said we're taking reading and math out of the curriculum. Hmm...and we wonder why the children graduate STUPID.

ANy teacher will tell you parents won't return their calls; don't show up for meetings, don't get involved in their childrens STUDYING and LEARNING. But boy.....not one of them would miss a sports event, eh?? And we wonder why WV has so many UNSKILLED workers??????????

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WOuldn't it be nice if this many showed up at the schools when they had parent/teacher conferences? Yeah. No wonder WV kids grades SUCK!

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Play, now there's where you're wrong. I like a lot of things, like individual freedoms, hard working people, low taxes, a proper education, responsible representatives, honest elections, people who mind their own business, the right to make my own decisions about owning firearms, leaving the constitution unaltered, a government that doesn't nose around in our business and several other things I didn't worry about until the liberals came along. You know, all the things liberals hate.

Your problem is that you think everyone should get a free ride, and it gripes you when someone thinks otherwise. Just imagine how nice the world would be if everyone pulled their own weight and minded their own business. It used to be that way until the bleeding heart liberals came along and ruined it.

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Pure, People only have to read your comments to know what kind of person you are. Your comments about the intelligence of these parents just shows you arrogance. You have said you have no children so how could you know about the parent have with their children? Stick with something you really know something about. I truly don't think that is too awful much.

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what I meant to say is how would you know about the relationships between a parent and their children.

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I said I didn't have children in school, I didn't say I was never a parent. I also know what it's like to bury one of your children, so I believe I am as qualified as anyone to address such subjects. As for the sports in school, I've seen the worst come out in parents at school sporting events. I've seen parents curse at their children because they didn't play as well as they thought they should.

I've seen children in tears as their parents got into fights and verbal exchanges at school sporting events. My son liked sports, but chose to drop out over parents acting like idiots. Look at the acts of arson and the destruction of private property after WVU wins a game. It gets worse every year. So far, I've seen no benefits in school sports. In fact, it gives some children a feeling of superiority over students who don't participate. There is far too much emphasis put on school sports, when education should be the center of attention.

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Folks, folks..quit pokin yur finger in each others eyes. What you lost in all this is: BOE is ramming it down yur throats (now think) Levy! It failed, you voted against it and now the seeds of "what if" & everything they can throw into the winds. I smell the likes of Phares and crew of Randolph in Barbour County!! If another Levy was presented tomorrow, it would pass!! Quess what!! What a bunch of morons we are. Reverse Psycology.. works everytime. Just mention the students, sports we forget what schooling was made for! God Help us!

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Oh I forgot to mention that schools are going to operate, sports will be played and students will participate. If not we contact our Senator (Machin).. he is working in our behalf.. taking our hunting rights away, food off our table. Now think about this instead of a bassetball or feetball or suckerball! Thats all it is except the band and cheerleaders! They will play on and on. I have read and reread all these posts below and wow what a bunch of losers (except the level headed posters).. listen to PureMagix,TruthSayer. They are pretty good! They tell it like it really is. Just my opinion.

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Here is what all of you don't seem to understand. We were all at this meeting to discuss ways to help fund middle school sports just in case it would become a reality that the BOE would see the need to cut funding. I do not know what happens in other counties with school sports, but I can tell you that in Barbour Co parents are not only there for their children's sporting events, but also are there to ensure that their children receive an education. My daughter has played sports since she was 3, it is/has always been HER choice to play. She now plays HS sports AND is on the honor roll. She works hard and earns her grades. Barbour County teachers WILL NOT give athletes grades to play, they must be EARNED. Education is VERY important. All the parents that attended the meeting in question want the best education for their children, but they also want them to have the benefits that come along with sports. It helps children gain self esteem, make friends and become well rounded adults.

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Also, maybe if some of you would take the time to go to a school sporting event and show support for the kids in your area you would see that what you are saying is nonsense. While parents in Barbour Co are passionate about their children when they play sports, MOST of us are also passionate about our children getting good grades. Because if they don't have the grades, they won't play or be able to further their education. Maybe before you make comments that make yourself look stupid, you should consider all the facts. If you were not involved in this meeting or know what occurred to bring the meeting about, you should not assume that you know what is happening.

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No wonder today's kids are a mental train wreck. They don't have a moment to themselves. They don't have time to go play, go fishing or unwind with a friend of two just doing what kids do. Kids can't handle a full schedule like adults, and they don't do well when every waking moment of their lives is tied up doing what their parents want them to do. Sadly, many parents are ruining their child's life and don't even realize it. No wonder so many kids are on medication, or worse yet, commit suicide. I would have went bonkers too if my parents had smothered me like they do today.

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Soccermom, I've been to these events, and like my son, I got fed up with adults verbally attacking their children for not performing as they thought they should, and starting confrontations with other parents over their child's team losing a game. When I was growing up, I loved to play baseball, and did so until I was out of high school, and not once did I see parents acting like they do today.

Furthermore, parents today plan every waking moment of their child's life, filling them with sports and other activities, and the kids don't have a spare minute to take a breath and relax without their parents breathing down their neck. No wonder kids are depressed and on medication.

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When I was a kid, I acted like a kid, I played with kid toys, but when I became a man (18),I put away my toys, acted like a man, graduated from school/college,got a good job and moved to higher plains. Now what is being reflected here on this site, is yes the Parents have never grown up, graduated, learned anything about being an adult, have no sense of parentism and cannot teach it to there kids. What PureMagix is saying is truth & what I read is; let your kids grow up, do your parentism job of supplying them all the tools they need but keep the heck out of there business unless they are breaking the law...then get involved fast! Unless you make more money or have more money than I do, then get a job andor volunteer your services or buy a bus or uniforms & things kids need. Now about stupid, stupid is as stupid does! Forest Gump said it rite!

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AND EXPECT another LEVY soon! Barbour County residents are ripe for the FLIMFLAM man!! Believe me it has already been discussed and in the plans. YOU HAVE BEEN FORE WARNED! This one will be a good one and more than Obama's tax raises. When all is said and done, I doubt if we have any money left to buy our spouses a birthday card(s)!

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