The Hound's mom always had this saying that if Little Johnny jumped off the bridge would you? Well, The Hound has jumped off a number of bridges, but mom was trying to make the point of don't be a follower, be a leader. Waukegan school officials think they're leaders. They're not.
The District 60 school board decided this week to go slightly above and beyond state scholastic eligibility standards --- which themselves are a joke --- allowing students to get "Ds" in classes to remain on sports teams. Students wanting to play on sports teams must get at least a "D" in five classes a week. Any player failing a class or earning more than one grade below a "C" will be required to attend tutoring sessions.
The policy was enacted by a 4-2 vote and school board members, except for the two who voted against the measure, are patting themselves prematurely on the back because their rules are tougher --- IHSA policy is that students need to only pass four classes a week.
Waukegan officials could have been leaders in this student-athlete debate, going way above state minimums and demanding "C" averages, The Hound's usual grades, of Waukegan High athletes. After all, Waukegan High is on the state's academic watch list. Some school board members feel parents should be the ones to decide if their child's grades are high enough to be active in sports.
As board member Anita Hanna, who argued for the "C" level, pointed out: "Ds" are unacceptable and are barely making the grade. "It denotes low expectations" of students, she said, which in turn fosters failure.
The Hound is unsure if it fosters failure, but "Ds" certainly don't foster skills to use in college or in the work force, no matter how many classes they barely have to pass. Being a letterman doesn't necessarily mean one knows his or her letters.
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