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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAP: Flush with COVID-19 aid, schools steer funding to sports
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Ron Filipkowski
@RonFilipkowski
Some school districts around the country are using covid relief funds, intended to be used to safely reopen, to build new athletic facilities for football, track and other sports.
AP: Flush with COVID-19 aid, schools steer funding to sports
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) One Wisconsin school district built a new football field. In Iowa, a high school weight room is getting a renovation. Another in Kentucky is replacing two outdoor tracks all...
apnews.com
3:59 AM · Oct 7, 2021
https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-school-funding-sports-5b468b260ebd2593e53f03f9104d9bca
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) One Wisconsin school district built a new football field. In Iowa, a high school weight room is getting a renovation. Another in Kentucky is replacing two outdoor tracks all of this funded by the billions of dollars in federal pandemic relief Congress sent to schools this year.
The money is part of a $123 billion infusion intended to help schools reopen and recover from the pandemic. But with few limits on how the funding can be spent, The Associated Press found that some districts have used large portions to cover athletics projects they couldnt previously afford.
Critics say it violates the intent of the legislation, which was meant to help students catch up on learning after months of remote schooling. But many schools argue the projects support students physical and mental health, one of the objectives allowed by the federal government.
Rep. Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the U.S. House education committee, said the money shouldnt be used to fund athletics at the expense of academics. It was meant to help students, he said, not sports programs.
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Luciferous
(6,586 posts)the money was to be spent.
tblue37
(68,437 posts)Deuxcents
(26,946 posts)Get the money back even if they have to withhold other funds. This is wrong
onecaliberal
(36,594 posts)They may be asked or required to pay the funds back to the program. I dont see how this was approved.
CrackityJones75
(2,403 posts)And when they dont have the money because its been spent they will be put on a low impact repayment program. These schools know this and so they look at it as a sweet loan program at the worst.
The Magistrate
(96,043 posts)That a great portion of rural and big town America is quite incapable of self-government, and probably oughtn't retain license to manage its own affairs....
DFW
(60,194 posts)But hey, they sure can score touchdowns and field goals!
And after all, which is more important?
(I do NOT want to the answer to that)
Deminpenn
(17,512 posts)It's a good outlet for the kids, helps keep them out of trouble and probably helps keep some of them in school.
LeftInTX
(34,315 posts)They can get funds from somewhere else.
Deminpenn
(17,512 posts)I'm sure there were capital improvements postponed or cut to fund things like laptops and other unexpected pandemic-related expenses. Now those funds can be reimbursed.
budkin
(6,849 posts)Fire up the stadium lights!
Ferrets are Cool
(22,964 posts)use it to build more prisons.
Walleye
(44,841 posts)Sorry, I went to school before title nine.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)American "education" is a lot more about sports (entertainment) than it is about learning.
aocommunalpunch
(4,581 posts)Bien sur this happened. One thing we just don't do in this society these days is regulation. It's haphazardly imposed and so people do whatever the fuck they want. Who's going to adult?
DavidDvorkin
(20,590 posts)Get rid of them.