Cut School Sports Programs, Part 2

by David Safier

Yesterday I suggested we could save 4 Tucson elementary schools as well as a handful of librarians and counselors by cutting the after school sports programs.

I admit, I have no figures telling me how much the sports programs cost Tucson Schools, but I imagine if you tallied the obvious as well as the hidden costs, lots of money is involved.

I also admit, the sports programs do some good. They keep students occupied and supervised after school so they aren’t wandering around getting into trouble. They keep some students coming to school who might drop out without the lure of after school practices and league games. Some students benefit from the exercise. And some students even get partial college scholarships because of their athletic prowess.

But are after school sports programs worth more than a qualified librarian or counselor? Should we close schools or, as has been suggested, shorten the school year to save money while we continue to pay for extracurricular recreation?

If you want my answer, I say, let’s fund it all! But right now I’m putting on my accountant’s visor and trying to be practical.

If we have to save money, should we close 4 schools? Should we cut staff for student education and services? Should we cut a week from the school year? Or should we get rid of a recreational add-on that is only peripherally connected to our schools’ educational mission?