Quit contradicting yourself Pro-Privates

[TheEgoHasLanded]

RBC, the sarcasm I typed 3 posts earlier dealing with my friend at VU was not directed at you. Looking at it, I can see where you might have thought that, but that's not what it was about. I was typing about these ideas over a year ago when there wasn't even a public/private board. I really meant to answer your two questions...but saying things like "your full of it" does not strengthen your argument and hopefully I can continue to talk to public school supporters in a reasonable fashion, but I really do not appreciate that tone because nothing can get accomplished if we do cheap shots on each other. I'm sorry if my post was offensive, it was sarcastic but it was not directed at you...but it simply answered some questions about why kids might go to a private school that they do not live near.

[VolunteerGeneral]

Ego, You are full of it. Read my post again. If a representative of a private school "sells" the school using its athletic program to the parents of a prospect that lives outside of the area, I consider it recruiting. Also, you are insulting in your remarks about religion. You are using religion to hide the truth and to try to throw your critics off track. Now I expect a reply bragging about your religious beliefs and how holy you are.

RBC...you are in denial my friend. When a kid leaves Jackson so he can play baseball at Germantown his senior year then that should tell you something. Programs sell themselves. Same thing applies when a school like Milan can get kids from Gibson County (out of their city zone) and go deep in the playoffs while Gibson County throws up a goose egg in wins(0-10). Don`t lay this on private schools. If you don`t like private schools then that is your problem. But don`t cry just because a private school accomplishes something. The kids on that team don`t deserve the attitude of people like yourself. This whole debate should never have been labeled a public/private thing to begin with. If you want to talk about open zones or rural/urban then you might have a leg to stand on. This debate has moved way past a public/private stance. Get over it.

[RHSfan]

takedown3,

Reread my post. I'm saying if a 9th grader goes to a certain school because of a certain coach, he is NOT necessarily recruited. He WAS attracted. Athletes are attracted to strong programs. I don't have a problem with illegal recruiting. I can't prove it but I know it happens, both on the private side and the public side. My complaint in this 'public/private debate' is the problem of 'working the system' legally by 'attracting' student athletes to a strong program (this problem is not just limited to private schools, but all those schools with no zones). Private schools' athletic programs have copied their school's academic programs. Build a program with a strong reputation, and the better students will be attracted. Then other public schools decided they could do it also (academics and athletics) by opening their zones.

 

Ego,

You are correct, but my logic is not flawed. I just failed to mention that it works for both publics and privates. Yes, an athlete might be attracted to a grand stadium, or to a powerhouse football program, or to a big name coach. But what you must realize is in single A, usually you find those things at a private school (not always, but more than likely) not at a rural public. The example you used, Brentwood HS is AAA in baseball, the single A publics don't have to compete with them. So, you are right, it can work both ways, but in single A it usually doesn't.

 

RHSfan

[TheEgoHasLanded]

Fair enough RHS fan, I think we both did not completely describe what we are talking about and therefore the mix-up happened...I believe that's what happened with me anyway.

[RHSfan]

Fair enough RHS fan, I think we both did not completely describe what we are talking about and therefore the mix-up happened...I believe that's what happened with me anyway.

Ego,

 

I think I have been reading too many of VG's posts!!! He has convinced me that the problem in single A is more zoned/no zones than public/private. Therefore, I feel that the open zoned schools who wish to work the system (legally), do have an advantage over the rural publics. That being said, I would like to add that from my perspective, in single A (baseball in particular) the advantage of legally working the system is GENERALLY limited to private schools, thus the "public/private debate".

 

RHSfan

[ELA]

Vol. Gen. would you support this combined geographic/multiplier plan as it might be proposed:

 

1. Keep DII and DI as it stands today.

2. Divide DI as follows:

 

a. all private schools X 1.5

b. all rural public schools X .08

c. all open zoned schools X 1.25

Edited May 18, 2003 by ELA

[TheEgoHasLanded]

So we reward schools that are small and make up a very small percentage of the TSSAA and make it easier for them, and we punish private schools that rely off of kids from other areas, even kids that do not play sports.

[VolunteerGeneral]

Ela....Not that it is up to me, but I could support something in the line of that proposal. Iwould really like to see the TSSAA get rid of Div. II altogether. Possibly a 2.0 multiplier among those schools.

 

That proposal seems to address real issues, instead of private schools in general. I realize that there are people out there that simply don`t like private schools and I feel sorry for them that they have such a closed mind and hold a predjudice against private schools. Private schools are not the problem. The system allows certain things that other schools can`t get such as an open zone. It`s obvious that schools that don`t have an open zone are at a somewhat disadvantage to those that do. (and that includes 1A through 5A)

[TheEgoHasLanded]

Why not just say that certain kids out of a 15 mile radius to a private school are declared ineligible.

 

 

You could take the average zone size for schools in 1A whatever that might be and then give the same zone for private school kids. Look at the drawing pool that Collinwood, Cloudland, and all the other schools there have for their particular county or zone. Anyone who doesn't fall into those lines simply is not eligible to play sports, but can still go to the school and possibly sing in the choir or join the band or play chess. Perhaps they would even be able to get work study or financial aide?

[ELA]

STOP THE PRESSES!

 

Volunteer General and ELA are ALMOST in agreement on a subject!

[boyfromsi]

RHS,

 

I am new to this state and I live pretty close to Rockwood (Oak Ridge) and frankly from an outsiders perspective, the forced split between privates and publics is some sort of sick joke. I have lived in Illinois, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida and now Tennessee. If the problem is indeed between very small public schools (such as Roane and Morgan county schools) and metro privates, then seperate just the small publics into a class of their own (like Florida) and bring everyone else together. When comparing states, I don't think that any state our size has public high schools this small that haven't already been consolidated. So... I do somewhat understand Rockwood's (and even more so Sunbright's) plight. However, the TSSAA has made a grave error with the DIV I / II split. Bring em back.

 

Neil Thompson

boyfromsi

Oak Ridge

[itzme]

RHS,

 

I am new to this state and I live pretty close to Rockwood (Oak Ridge) and frankly from an outsiders perspective, the forced split between privates and publics is some sort of sick joke. I have lived in Illinois, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida and now Tennessee. If the problem is indeed between very small public schools (such as Roane and Morgan county schools) and metro privates, then seperate just the small publics into a class of their own (like Florida) and bring everyone else together. When comparing states, I don't think that any state our size has public high schools this small that haven't already been consolidated. So... I do somewhat understand Rockwood's (and even more so Sunbright's) plight. However, the TSSAA has made a grave error with the DIV I / II split. Bring em back.

 

Neil Thompson

boyfromsi

Oak Ridge

Amen!!! An objective voice of reason.