From Sheila Bredeson
Darlington
To the editor:
From my experience the past 10 years as an educator, the phrase which governs the actions of a school and its affiliates is to "do what's best for kids." Parents don't always abide by this rule. They don't care, or simply refuse to realize, what is best for all kids. Instead, they care only what's best for their kids. Unfortunately, they often don't realize that their actions aren't even best for their own children. Argyle High School should have realized this and acted differently when they took the coaching privileges out of the hands of Coach Treuthardt and essentially put them in the hands of complaining parents.
From my perspective as an educator and parent, it has become increasingly difficult to teach children how important integrity, respect and discipline are to their character. I believe that sports programs still have that power to teach our youth these traits. Coaches can and should hold their athletes to a higher expectation and code of conduct because playing a sport, unlike attending school, is not required; it is a choice. It is not a right; it is a privilege. Coaches should have the jurisdiction to discipline and bench athletes if it is the best interest of the team, or if athletes aren't pulling their weight. Holding youth to these standards is vital to their development. And if a parent can't back the coach's decision, school administration should.
I am not putting the blame of how our younger generation is growing up totally on parents and educators. We all know that there are so many other elements of society that are creating this beast. But, shame on those of you who were in on the decision to suspend Coach Treuthardt; you just fed that beast.
Darlington
To the editor:
From my experience the past 10 years as an educator, the phrase which governs the actions of a school and its affiliates is to "do what's best for kids." Parents don't always abide by this rule. They don't care, or simply refuse to realize, what is best for all kids. Instead, they care only what's best for their kids. Unfortunately, they often don't realize that their actions aren't even best for their own children. Argyle High School should have realized this and acted differently when they took the coaching privileges out of the hands of Coach Treuthardt and essentially put them in the hands of complaining parents.
From my perspective as an educator and parent, it has become increasingly difficult to teach children how important integrity, respect and discipline are to their character. I believe that sports programs still have that power to teach our youth these traits. Coaches can and should hold their athletes to a higher expectation and code of conduct because playing a sport, unlike attending school, is not required; it is a choice. It is not a right; it is a privilege. Coaches should have the jurisdiction to discipline and bench athletes if it is the best interest of the team, or if athletes aren't pulling their weight. Holding youth to these standards is vital to their development. And if a parent can't back the coach's decision, school administration should.
I am not putting the blame of how our younger generation is growing up totally on parents and educators. We all know that there are so many other elements of society that are creating this beast. But, shame on those of you who were in on the decision to suspend Coach Treuthardt; you just fed that beast.
