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Nevilledog

(55,083 posts)
Thu Oct 7, 2021, 12:44 PM Oct 2021

AP: Flush with COVID-19 aid, schools steer funding to sports



Tweet text:
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 couldn’t 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 shouldn’t be used to fund athletics at the expense of academics. It was meant to help students, he said, not sports programs.

*snip*


16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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AP: Flush with COVID-19 aid, schools steer funding to sports (Original Post) Nevilledog Oct 2021 OP
They should've put restrictions on how Luciferous Oct 2021 #1
Absolutely! tblue37 Oct 2021 #6
Misuse of funds Deuxcents Oct 2021 #2
When they go through Federal Program Monitoring (FPM) onecaliberal Oct 2021 #3
And when they don't have the money CrackityJones75 Oct 2021 #4
It Is Becoming Abundantly Clear, Ma'am The Magistrate Oct 2021 #5
Our schoolchildren may not score passing grades on tests DFW Oct 2021 #7
Sports are a huge part of the school experience Deminpenn Oct 2021 #8
This is Covid relief money paid with federal funds LeftInTX Oct 2021 #11
All public school expenses are paid by taxpayers Deminpenn Oct 2021 #16
That free money baby! budkin Oct 2021 #9
Hell, be like Alabama.... Ferrets are Cool Oct 2021 #10
Just guessing, the boys' sports are getting the most money Walleye Oct 2021 #12
Of course they do. lagomorph777 Oct 2021 #13
LMAO aocommunalpunch Oct 2021 #14
School sports are the death of education DavidDvorkin Oct 2021 #15
 

onecaliberal

(36,594 posts)
3. When they go through Federal Program Monitoring (FPM)
Thu Oct 7, 2021, 12:52 PM
Oct 2021

They may be asked or required to pay the funds back to the program. I don’t see how this was approved.

 

CrackityJones75

(2,403 posts)
4. And when they don't have the money
Thu Oct 7, 2021, 12:55 PM
Oct 2021

And when they don’t have the money because it’s 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)
5. It Is Becoming Abundantly Clear, Ma'am
Thu Oct 7, 2021, 12:56 PM
Oct 2021

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)
7. Our schoolchildren may not score passing grades on tests
Thu Oct 7, 2021, 01:09 PM
Oct 2021

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)
8. Sports are a huge part of the school experience
Thu Oct 7, 2021, 01:10 PM
Oct 2021

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)
11. This is Covid relief money paid with federal funds
Thu Oct 7, 2021, 01:24 PM
Oct 2021

They can get funds from somewhere else.

Deminpenn

(17,512 posts)
16. All public school expenses are paid by taxpayers
Fri Oct 8, 2021, 06:08 AM
Oct 2021

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.

Walleye

(44,841 posts)
12. Just guessing, the boys' sports are getting the most money
Thu Oct 7, 2021, 02:35 PM
Oct 2021

Sorry, I went to school before title nine.

lagomorph777

(30,613 posts)
13. Of course they do.
Thu Oct 7, 2021, 02:36 PM
Oct 2021

American "education" is a lot more about sports (entertainment) than it is about learning.

aocommunalpunch

(4,581 posts)
14. LMAO
Thu Oct 7, 2021, 04:26 PM
Oct 2021

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?

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