Brian Sommer

[DiverCity]

The good thing at Austin-East, you won't see that here, especially in sports. The only problem they (A-E athletes) have is (playing) that NCAA football video game on Playstation. They do a good job of avoiding negative behavior."

 

The above has to be one of the most naive, stupid or disingenuous statements I've seen in a while. This is the 21st century, and Knoxville ain't Mayberry. Yes, football and athletics in general can help kids avoid things like marijuana, but to say that you won't see that (at all) at a given high school among athletes is plumb goofy and unrealistic.

[redandblack63]

...especially at a place like AE.

 

Be careful osunut2. Drugs are problem in all of our schools. I take a little exception with the statement "especially at a place like AE." AE is no better or no worse in relation to substance abuse than say Cater, Farragut, Halls, Powell, Fulton etc... It is a problem that is running rampant in our society.

 

I think it is commendable that A.E. teachers, coaches, and staff are willing to help this young man be accountable for his mistakes and grow as a person.

[osunut2]

Be careful osunut2. Drugs are problem in all of our schools. I take a little exception with the statement "especially at a place like AE." AE is no better or no worse in relation to substance abuse than say Cater, Farragut, Halls, Powell, Fulton etc... It is a problem that is running rampant in our society.

 

I think it is commendable that A.E. teachers, coaches, and staff are willing to help this young man be accountable for his mistakes and grow as a person.

 

I knew that someone would jump up and say that. I wasn't necessarily referring to the drug problem that plagues all of these schools, but rather the high dropout rate at AE specifically. That is probably the biggest problem that school has to deal with.

[jlancaster]

...especially at a place like AE.

 

What is this statement suppose to mean? Are you saying that because this is a all Black school? Explain your statement please.

 

Your statement is what you said. Don't try and back peddle now and say that their drop out rate is high. Have you been watching the news in Knoxville and other states? That school is not the only one with high dropouts or drugs. My children go to Powell and I have seen some things around here that will blow your mind. Their are some things that go on here that I didn't see back home in Detroit, but there are also some good things as well. So to single Austin-East out like that was really uncalled for. The subject was about a player that got into some trouble at one school and ending up at a school that was willing to help this young man out when other schools would not.

 

Maybe this is the school that can reach him and help correct a wrong before he is lost. Did you ever think about that? This is the kind trash that keeps our SOCIETY DIVIDED.

[osunut2]

What is this statement suppose to mean? Are you saying that because this is a all Black school? Explain your statement please.

 

Your statement is what you said. Don't try and back peddle now and say that their drop out rate is high. Have you been watching the news in Knoxville and other states? That school is not the only one with high dropouts or drugs. My children go to Powell and I have seen some things around here that will blow your mind. Their are some things that go on here that I didn't see back home in Detroit, but there are also some good things as well. So to single Austin-East out like that was really uncalled for. The subject was about a player that got into some trouble at one school and ending up at a school that was willing to help this young man out when other schools would not.

 

Maybe this is the school that can reach him and help correct a wrong before he is lost. Did you ever think about that? This is the kind trash that keeps our SOCIETY DIVIDED.

 

And that is the kind of comment that equally adds to it. Jeez, relax... I attended Powell back in the 90s, I went to college at Ohio State and graduate school at UT, and I agree, Powell is no different from any other high school in Columbus or Knoxville. They all deal with the same problems. However, AE's glaring problem has been the same thing for quite awhile now - they have one of the highest dropout rates in this area. Yes, I failed to clarify what I referred to in my original comment, and I apologize to anyone who took it as a "racist comment." Thanks for making that "painfully" obvious. The truth is, I don't know you and you don't know me, so you should probably cut out the "holier than thou" routine.

 

Getting back on the subject at hand - I hope this kid gets his head straight, and if AE is the place that can get him focused, so be it.

[EastTNFootballFanatic]

When did Coach T become the place for social inequality? Shut up. All schools have drugs. It is not a racist statement to say AE is not one of the better schools in Knoxville, it is a true statement. I think the kid whether he is at AE or Karns should sit for one year. If they pull his scholarship, well that is the price you pay for doing drugs. If they don't. Well good luck to him. Time to hold him accountable to adult decisions for adult choices. Does anyone think Karns or AE would give a flip if this kid was not a player?

[Halls4Generations]

I didn't take OSUNut's comment as racist at all, so stop with the racialist tendencies to see everything as a matter of conflict between the races. Your and other's egalitarian inclination to sweep uncomfortable realities like that under the rug is doing our culture very little good. What about the implications of Graham's moronic assertion that the only problem that football players at AE have is playing too many video games? This is the issue. And those kids are faced with a lot more than that, and he knows it. Graham made the absolute statement that AE kids DON'T have a problem with drugs. OSUNut simply recognized that if there's any school where this would be less of a problem it would not be AE. Do you seriously contend, jlancaster, that Graham's statement has any basis in reality?

[jlancaster]

And that is the kind of comment that equally adds to it. Jeez, relax... I attended Powell back in the 90s, I went to college at Ohio State and graduate school at UT, and I agree, Powell is no different from any other high school in Columbus or Knoxville. They all deal with the same problems. However, AE's glaring problem has been the same thing for quite awhile now - they have one of the highest dropout rates in this area. Yes, I failed to clarify what I referred to in my original comment, and I apologize to anyone who took it as a "racist comment." Thanks for making that "painfully" obvious. The truth is, I don't know you and you don't know me, so you should probably cut out the "holier than thou" routine.

 

Getting back on the subject at hand - I hope this kid gets his head straight, and if AE is the place that can get him focused, so be it.

 

Well, if they are really about what's good for the child, then yes I think that they would care about this kid. Now I don't know if you had a chance to do a little research before you spoke but I think that you need to look at the stats about the different high schools here in Knoxville and the surrounding areas before you cast your thoughts on anyone. Whatever the past was at Austin-East is the past, but look at the stats before you call them out and you will see that your statments concerning their current drop-outs rates are incorrect and their are a few schools in the area that is below them. My speaking up was for the kids in general and not about race at all. That's what it should be about: The Kids!!!

[jlancaster]

I didn't take OSUNut's comment as racist at all, so stop with the racialist tendencies to see everything as a matter of conflict between the races. Your and other's egalitarian inclination to sweep uncomfortable realities like that under the rug is doing our culture very little good. What about the implications of Graham's moronic assertion that the only problem that football players at AE have is playing too many video games? This is the issue. And those kids are faced with a lot more than that, and he knows it. Graham made the absolute statement that AE kids DON'T have a problem with drugs. OSUNut simply recognized that if there's any school where this would be less of a problem it would not be AE. Do you seriously contend, jlancaster, that Graham's statement has any basis in reality?

 

To be honest with you, I don't know. Do I think that all high schools have problems with drugs, sex and many other things, YES.

 

Look, I am not over at AE and the way that you are talking, I don't think that you are either, but the fact of the matter is that school should first be about teaching and not sports. So, if a child has done a wrong, then it is our job as adults to come in and try to help these kids. It all starts at home but if home is not taking care of their business, then why should we as a society turn our backs on them? Why not try to correct a wrong? What's wrong with helping out someone, whether its at the worst school in the city or the best.

 

I am not trying to start any wars here, but I am trying to say that everybody deserves a second chance in life.

 

Now, let's go Panthers!!!

[wpasi]

It has aways been my understanding that if a kid transfers that kid has to sit for 1 year however I know of a case last year were a kid that was a starter for Oliver Springs transfered to Coalfield midseason joined the fball team and played for two diffrent teams in the same season. So I guess it can be done

[AlcoasPaintedBridge]

Here's something to chew on...For dropout rates you need to check a little further to the west, Like Roane Co.

 

Dropout Factories