Dr. Kathleen P. Loftus
Columnist EdNews.org

A recent online debate was published by Inside Higher Ed following the last-minute rejection of a previously-admitted "star athlete." (Aug. 8, 2007.) The article was followed by an emotionally-charged online debate between those on the side of maintaining academic integrity and those contending that college admission is many of these athletes' only change for a life beyond the "streets." Having served as a high school administrator I can report from the "inside" that they are all missing one key factor. The NCAA standards actually include requirements that students pass with at least a "C" Advanced Algebra, Organic Chemistry, 4 progressively difficult years of English, and more. The problem is that the belief that "college" is many of these athletes' only hope of life outside of the "hood" is not limited to college recruiters. Their high school coaches, parents, and even some administrators pressure teachers and guidance counselors to give these borderline students a "break" by watering down their instruction and assignments, while revising their letter grades upwards. I've seen many teachers "guilted" into succumbing to this pressure, sometimes to avoid accusations of a lack of compassion for kids of another race or socioeconomic class.

In Chicago Public Schools, for example, Mayor Daley requires ALL CPS graduates to have met all NCAA course requirements, yet, upon graduating, many cannot pass the GED-level college entrance exams in Math and Reading. As a result, countless misled potential athletes are forced to take courses that will not count for credit, many never even reaching "credit" level courses, instead dropping out and returning to "the streets" before reaching their dreams of an eventual career OR athletic stardom. Their teachers, counselors, coaches and recruiters gave them no "break" by pushing them through courses they didn't understand, leaving them hopelessly ill-prepared for either college or gainful employment, all in the name of the rare 7-figure salary, which I suspect is shared by some of the key stakeholders.

What would serve these "right-brained" students far better would be to allow them to complete a vocational curriculum that would at least equip them with the means to be self-sustaining, just in case their dreams of athletic stardom, (while also completing a degree in Political Science, Accounting, or Pre-Med), don't happen to work out. But then, the NCAA would not be able to maintain its image of being grounded in "scholarship." (Wink, wink.)

Published August 15, 2007