Honors Classes Or Basketball Which Is More Important?♦
When education comes into conflict with sports which should be considered more important?
If the only time a student can take an Honors Class is when Basketball practice is being held should that student be denied the opportunity to play basketball?
Apparently for Coach Mayfield basketball should be more important.
It's reported that Coach Mayfield resigned as girls basketball coach after not being given authority to require team members give up an Honors Class during fourth period when the team held practice. Chalk one up for education and one down for warped priorities. Allen Barrett
If the only time a student can take an Honors Class is when Basketball practice is being held should that student be denied the opportunity to play basketball?
Apparently for Coach Mayfield basketball should be more important.
It's reported that Coach Mayfield resigned as girls basketball coach after not being given authority to require team members give up an Honors Class during fourth period when the team held practice. Chalk one up for education and one down for warped priorities. Allen Barrett
posted by Allen Barrett | 10:10 PM
73 Comments:
He got to coach his granddaughter and now he's done.
Looks like people should get their facts straight before accusing someone of deliberately forbidding a student to take an honors class regardless when it is offered. If you have lived in Giles County for any length of time or have had a child attend GCHS then you would know the 4th period time frame has always been set aside for girls basketball practice. This is the first year, to my knowledge, this time slot has ever had conflict for a student. Did you also know that the student can/could take this class the same period second semester? But it was insisted the class be taken first semester. Also, it shouldn't matter if Coach Mayfield got to coach his granddaughter or not! Big Deal...Don't misunderstand here, classes are very important. I know for a fact the teachers, coaches & guidance are very helpful in making sure the students are accomodated with classes vs sports or any other issues they may have. If people spent their time and effort doing more constructive things than nitpicking then this community/world would be a lot better off. If you don't like the ways things are run around here then MOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!
You have got to be kidding me 9:03? I was appreciative of your post bringing to light the "other-side" so to speak. I have to say though, if you intended to try and help matters by giving people more information on this subject then you failed miserably once I read your last statment. I was seeing things from your point until you mentioned for folks to move if they don't like it here. You know I could say the same thing about the liberal folks who wish to change the very core of everything we believe in and what this country was founded on but I am a bit smarter than that. I understand where you obviously do not, that it is our right to have a differing opinion than others. It is our right to speak up, take a stand, protest peacefully if we are so inclined. For you to suggest for those who disagree with others in the community the option is to move, then that proves to me what shallow-minded and arrogant folks there are around here. I pray for our children's sake you are not an educator in our school system. It frightens me and would be unfair that you would be impressing your thoughts, such as they are on our youth and the very ones that will be caring for us one day. Shameful on your part! Is this the answer you arrive at when you don't get your way or do not like someone to suggest they move?? I'm sorry to say this, but you just earned the title of being an ignorant person.
I don't know what is factual about this situation but what I do know that athletics runs the program at GCHS. The top two adminstrators were once athletes and their viewpoint is heavily skewed in favor of athletics.
And let's not forget our football stadium. It's great we have a new stadium but did we really have to have the best one in the state? What about the condition of the school building? Why isn't there an uprising to do something about it just as there was with regard to the stadium?
9:12 9:50 a.m. GREAT POST! I agree 100%.
9:12 9:50 a.m. GREAT POST! I agree 100%.
So the girls practice is moved to 6th period with the boys?? Bet the girls get the short end of the stick and practice in the upstairs gym on carpet.. I bet thats safe and fair for the girls.. Maybe thats why Coach Mayfield resigned...
Was the child offered an alternative to honors class but still get honors credit?? I think so...
Parting of being on a team is making sacrifices.. THERE IS NO I IN TEAM...
And if you don't get YOUR way threaten a law suit!!!
Basketball is for 3 months .
An education and qualifications are for a lifetime .
Go figure which is most important .
Should hopefully be obvious even to Giles Countians .
I don't think it should be an issue.
If you want to take "Honors class" don't play basketball.If you want to play basketball take the "regular class." Pick one.Seems simple to me
It should be obvious.....even to Giles Countians. Hows that for another slap?
So the bottom line is that basketball was changed to make one girl happy. What about the rest of the team? The rest of the team had to change their schedule to one person could have their class. Well at one is happy. That is all that counts. I agree that sports should not be more important than an honors class so one person should choose rather than the rest of the team change for her. Which is fair?
Mr. Barrett, other students have had to make choices, it happens every day. Did other players have to give up a class to practice when she wanted it? That is part of life, making choices. When these kids grow up do you think that the boss will change their work hours so they can do something else. Maybe Bridge is on Tuesday and she does not want to work on Tuesday so she can play Bridge, you think maybe Mom can go to the boss and have him change that. Kids need to learn that sometimes there are choices that have to be made. There is no I in team but sometimes other people think so. She said I have a problem with this period. So it was changed. Why did we not just change the honors class for her? Would that not have been the same?
I don't think all the other girls should have to suffer because this girl gets her way. I know of several kids who would like to take other courses, but they could not because it conflicts with their schedule. Sometimes you have to make a choice in life which is more important to you and what will benefit you the most. Now because of one girl, the boys and girls will have to share the gym during 6th period. Another thing I don't think is right to let the girl take Regular English instead of Honors English and still get the credit for Honors. That would not be fair to the other Honors English students. It seems to me this kid must belong to the right family in Giles County. It all boils down to who you are.
Maybe she should be sent to alternative school or expelled altogether. Whatcha think?
I think that you are being ridiculous 7:19. Ha Ha! I think what these folks are saying is the needs of the 'one' outweight the needs of many. The studends cannot do everything so sometimes they need to make a choice instead of changing it for everyone without consulting them about the change and how it would affect them.
I agree. And...MR. Barrett...your post misleads people. You should be ashamed.
why was a class and an honors class at that only offerred during one class period which was also the same as girls basketball so no girls atheletes could take it. seems to me it could of been avoided by making the schedule right in the first place. plus 4th period is now two credits instead of one now so that leaves these girls not able to get the same number of credits as boys. the class would of had to be changed anyway because now 9th grade up have to more credits to graduate. i dont know exactly i think its 25 credits now but i know its more. wouldnt it of made since to know it had to be fixed before now so the girls could get the credits.
As far as Sam Davis Park being the best in the State we should be greatful. Everybody knows you can have more fun in a football stadium than in a run down schoolhouse.
If the girl has played basketball before which she has already then she has her credit she gets for basketball (lifetime wellness)so she don't need that credit. The girls get the same credit as the boys. Girls basketball has always been 4th period and boys basketball 6th period. There is to many English courses to be taught to change schedules for every student to make a schedule around ONE student. If the student or Mayfield don't like it then practice the team after school hours, but that would be a conflict with her other sports. So, maybe she needs to quit just like Mayfield.
I hear after Mayfield left the girls are left with a joke for a coach.
Basketball is not as important as the football program. Getting a good education is not close to being important by leadership at GCHS. The "good ole" boys will forever rule at that school until someone with "balls" can run the place like it should be.
To anonymous of the 12 Aug 9:29 post.
You state, "MR. Barrett...your post misleads people. You should be ashamed."
I would be interested in knowing how my post misleads?
I fully understand that life is made up of choices and many times we have to give up things in order to gain other things. When my Granddaughter was a student at GCHS she was required to make the choice between Band and a class she wanted. After the fist year I was promised that everything possible would be done to move the class to a different time period so it would not conflict with band.
The next year the class was in the same slot and the reason given was simple the teacher didn't want to change because she liked having her free period at the time it was slotted for. While I do not believe the world should be turned upside down for one person I do believe that flexibility should be such as to allow a schedule that does not always put the same classes in conflict with band or sports activities. Allen Barrett
Your post misleads because it does not state all of the facts....you make Coach Mayfield out to look like he cares about basketball and pisses on education. Reread your post. "Chalk one up for education and one down for warped priorities." Please. And...please tell the WHOLE story...they tried to work something out with the girl and her family.
Barrett got it right Mayfield does care more about basketball than education as this was not the only or first time a player was told to make basketball the top priority or get off the team.
10:20 AM - WAB, good post
7:35 PM - Anonymous, good post.
Who is the girl and why does everyone think her family is all that?
If I'm mistaken the girls team sucked last year anyway....what coach would be worse? Maybe one that wins???
I do not understand something about this whole situation. Are you saying that one student was upset because she had to make a choice between basketball and education, and then the coach got upset because she chose education? Or, are you saying that one student got upset because she could not play basketball and take her "honors" class? Somehow something seems hinky. Usually the school can help work around these situations, but occasionally you have to make a choice, and sometimes that choice is not going to make you happy either way you go. Somehow I think this a situation of the majority having to cave in to the minority or the one. What is right about that? There are times when things need to change, and times when they don't. I don't think that things needed to change this time. I think the student should have made a choice and lived with it. I also think the coach should have listened to the student, help her make the right decision and then move on. I hope I am reading this situation wrong and that nothing like this happened. I can not stand for parents to throw around the "if my baby doesn't get their way I'll sue attitude". That is why we have the horrible mentality we have in this country today. Ah, so, life goes on.
8:33
You say that barrett got it right about coach Mayfield? I did not know he was a mind reader. That is the very thing he accuses others of being when they question something he says. And you wink at his hypocrisy.
I think you may be right. He read Mayfield's mind.
Don't get your diaper in a twist it doesn't take a mind reader only someone who has observed Mayfield over the past few years. I have a room close to his and know where his priorities are, Barrett got it right not because he is a mind reader but the attitude is so obvious to anyone paying attention.
And you shouldn't be so defensive when it comes to barrett. He is always right though, didn't you know that?
i am confused. i have been out of school for a few years now, but there were always 2 honors english classes every year. i think that she should have sucked it up and made a choice. instead she messed up practice for both the boys and girls during sixth period. i played football and took fourth period weight lifting every year it was offered, but i still graduated with a tennessee honors diploma. i moved things around that needed moving to accomodate football, because it is a team sport and some sacrifices need to be made for the team. if i were a team member of hers i would not be happy about the situation.
Is it true that Coach Harper who took Mayfield's position does not have a degree that she needs? If not why is she at GCHS?
Come on people.....everyone knows how another coach got screwed a couple of years ago when Mayfield wormed his way back in....HIS granddaughter.....now that she is graduated.....Mayfield is done too! He'll probably try to return again when the youngest one makes it to high school! As far as the replacement coach, if she is not certified then they can probably get around that by naming a certified teacher "head coach" and her "assistant coach". Same situation with the girls Soccer coach.
As someone recently said on this blog, looks like barrett just might have made yet another enemy...along with the Mayfield family.
They made Harper a job sitting in a classroom all day doing nothing, but I believe that is what they do for some of the coaches. How many coaches do you need to sit and watch students in study hall and credit recovery? Maybe they need more English teachers than coaches. Not saying Mayfield was the best coach, but I really feel sorry for the girls basketball team now. I did hear after his granddaughter graduated last year that he said it would be his last year.
This bring up another point. Why in the world is the Giles County Board of Education allowing RETIRED Personnel to come back into the teaching/coaching positions after they've retired? Good gracious alive folks. There are so many young, energetic and knowledgeable people graduating college every year just begging for jobs. Why in this world are you allowing this?????
Look around at all the double dipping going on. Mayfield should have stayed gone along with any other teachers/coaches that are doing this. You've made your money, now let some younger person have a chance at your job. MOVE ON MAYFIELD and stay retired this time.
How many retired teachers are working half time so that they can coach, draw a salary from Giles County and draw retirement? Surely the board is aware of these. If Jackson won't be truthful about it they need to check to see how many half time people are on payroll.
They began a "block" schedule this year during 4th period and so they moved the honors classes to that period. At least that is what I heard from a teacher's spouse.
I still wish more details were given...both sides of story.
Honors classes were moved to 4th. The student could take the second semester of honors English and get full year credit. The block period is twice the length of a regular class. She could have changed to second semester English. She is the daughter of a teacher. She should have been made to make a decision instead of changing things for everyone.
I can't believe practice is during the day at school! I've never heard of such a thing until I moved to Pulaski. I played ball my whole life and it was always considered "extracurricular" which means in addition to curricular activities, so practice was after school hours. This way, school is a priority during the day and any sport is on the student's own time.
8:26, I agree with you. Sports are extracurricular, not an education. As a college student, we practice and play sports after our classes, not in between our classes. I applaud the student striving to take honors classes. I know athletes who attended GCHS with me and even some I'm in college with now can't even balance a check book. Now how elementary of a thing is that? Moreover, as a recent graduate of GCHS, baseball, soccer, and football practices were always after school hours. Girls basketball practice was the only sport scheduled during the school day excluding the weightlifting class during the 6th period.
Someone mentioned retired teachers coming back. The school system CANNOT find enough teachers to teach Science, Honors Classes, Math and several other classes. Retired teachers have practically been begged to help out until others can be found to teach our children. People are beginning to avoid the teaching profession for many reasons. Think about it.
Ask a teacher you can probably find out about a lot of reasons. If you know any willing to talk!!!
I am not talking about the English teachers who have returned, there is a big problem with getting those teachers. I am talking about all the male teachers who have returned to "teach" so that they can still coach. Again this proves where our priorities are.
A lot of teachers are moving out of the county for better pay and treatment, so that is another reason giles county has positions to fill.
No one wants to work for our school system due to the director of schools. Anyone who researches the past pay raises for teachers prior to applying would see very quickly the value our director places on the educators of our county. Unlike Tee Jackson, the majority of our teachers genuinely care about academics and the students being functioning, self-sufficient citizens. All that Tee Jackson cares about is the sports program. It is a sad reality that athletics overrides academics when we fall drastically short in comparison to other states as well as countries when it comes to educating our youth.
Doesn't a child playing sports suppose to make good grades and stay out of trouble to be on the team? It's that a TSSAA requirement? Why isn't this being inforced?
i can't speak for every coach, but when i played for jackie smith he made sure the kids acted right. i saw alot of good players get kicked off for not acting right. as far as the grades go i know that if you weren't passing he would have a talk with you.
Is Coach Harper a certified teacher or an assistant? If she is an assistant then she will have to coach AFTER school hours according to guidelines from the Board of Ed. Of course, it may just be overlooked like so many other things in this system are "overlooked".
Coach Harper is not a certified teacher. They have got Jessica Russell from one of the other schools helping, so I hear. If this is so, then how does she leave that school to come to GCHS for 6th period. I don't see how Harper is coaching without a degree because I believe that is one of the reasons Shelia Frost Anderson could not coach. They got rid of Coach Hanna and Coach Anderson for Mayfield to come back. I hope Harper does a better job than she did last year.
Grades and students getting in trouble are way overlooked for sports at GCHS!!!
Sheila Frost was teaching on a waiver. During the period she was here she was supposed to be getting the needed classes. She did not. There are several coaches or sponsors in the county doing so without the degrees. A degree is not required to coach. I graduated almost 40 years ago and atheletes were given grades and behavior ignored even back then, nothing has changed.
Harper must have a degree because she is in the classroom.
Roaches and flies are in the classroom but they don't have degrees.
Give me a break about the teaching positions. With the economy like it is today, young people would grab at the chance to teach. We all know what it's all about. It's the same old buddy system that been in this county for too long. It's who you know if whether or not you get a job here. And if you know the right person then you can come out of Alambama retired and start teaching again. (And these double dipping don't care how much they make here for they're already making enough.) Retired personnel, go home and give the college gratuates a way to earn a living. No there's no shortage of teachers, just a shortage of a good and honest leaders. I challenge the School Borad members to check to see just how many retired personnel they've got on the payroll who has returned to work either full time or part time. Even if it's part-time that's not fair. People needing jobs will take part-time jobs also.
Same old malcontents who know it all I see.
The school board does not hire or fire. Tee Jackson does. Some people that are retired and working need to be let go. Johnny Phelps is one. He draws his pay for teaching and then a stipend for golf coach as well as retirement. He walks the hall like a banny rooster and does nothing. He is dummer than a rock. Try reading his books and keep a red pen handy to correct all of his mistakes made in writing.
A teacher that retired in English and one in biology had to be begged to come back since the county can't get applicants due to the low pay scale.
The student that had a conflict with English could have done an independent study if she hadn't had Ms. Childers for a teacher. She doesn't want to do anything for anyone because she might see someone smile. The girls aunt is the county mayor. Very smart child.
Have you ever seen an ad in the local paper about needing teachers or taking applications? Don't give me that about low wages. Teachers don't make that bad for the number of hours they actually work. Look at the houses they live in and the cars they drive.
9:48 AM--Sounds like sour grapes for you. Go get your teaching degree, grade papers half the night, correct all those children whose parents don't want them corrected and Oh yeah, try to teach in class with 25-35 children in each class.
Come back after you do all these things and then complain. If you don't teach, run and hide.
9:48, I agree but with a different angle. I am not a teacher but if you look at the teacher with the nice cars and big houses you need to also look at what their spouses make. You don't drive big cars and have big houses if your only income is in the 30's and that is your family's only source of income.
People that are teachers choose to do so. There are many other avenues to take for a career path and no one makes them choose to be an educator. Many jobs are demanding not just teachers. Look at public safety, law enforcement, fire fighters, etc. These people daily put their lives on the line. Why don't you examine their pay! You don't hear them complain about their pay even though it doesn't reflect the great sacrifice they make. I hear this a lot about "thank a teacher" and so on and so forth. As if those are the only important professions. Teachers are valued but should not be valued above any others. At least they can come home each day having not faced pulling someone from a burning building or pulling over a criminal who could potentially take your life depending on their mood. I agree teachers are important but pale in comparison when it comes to our public safety people and our active duty soldiers. We give teachers more responsibility than they should have. Yes they should be thanked and appreciated for teaching the future generation but, it is not their responsibility to form our children into respectful human beings. That job is the responsibility of the parents. Every day I hear someone blaming someone else for their problems. Woe are they! This is what is wrong with society today. We always have someone willing to make excuses for those who refuse to make an effort or be responsible for your own action/inaction.
I was just curious how all the other basketball girls and their parents felt about their schedule getting changed because of one child? Also, how does Coach Holt feel about sharing the gym with the girls when he has always had it 6th period and the girls 4th. I think it is sad that they had to change everyone else schedule for her. I wonder if they had to move any none basketball players schedule around to put the basketball players in the classes they needed. If it had been a regular person they would had to make choice between basketball or honors. I wonder if it helped her get her way with her aunt being county mayor and one aunt working at the central office. My opinion she should have made a choice which was more important to her and what would benefit her in the future. Their is other girls on the team that would like to take more vocational courses, but they can't because of basketball.
Is basketball the only sport practice during school? Volleyball, baseball, softball, tennis, golf, cheerleading and football and etc. are they practice during school hours? I know you get a credit for basketball, but do you get one for any other sport?
9:07 Good questions!! Ask a school board member, how fair and equal is education with practices like that.
Melanie
Did Mayfield come back?
yes you used to get your health and wellness grade from freshmen football and weightlifting.
Is Ms. Russell and Mrs. Harper doing a good job with the girls basketball team? Maybe they will come out winning a couple of games this year.
The question is Honors classes or basketball,Which is more important?
I can not believe intelligent people do not know that it is of highest honor to play basketball.
1:55
Do you think it should be more important to take honors classes or play basketball? Is it just one student on the whole team that takes honors classes? If so that should say something.
There are only so many honors classes. If you have taken them your entire high school years then you should be caught up. There is always the second semester to take an honors class. You take one semester to equal a year when it is a blocked class. Yes other people take honors classes, the second semester. They did not wait until the last minute to get the honors classes in.
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