In her article, “The Case Against High School Sports,” Amanda Ripley argues that sports should not be connected to high schools in America. In her argument, Ripley argues that sports lack economic efficiency, increase violence and lower learning levels in American high schools. While Ripley’s argument is well researched and explained, her argument ignores several key factors that also influence American high school sports.
Firstly, Ripley compares the American attitude on sports with that of other countries. She cites several foreign exchange students who describe the sporting culture in America being more important and significant than in their home country. Additionally, Ripley compares the higher test scores of Asian countries such as South …show more content…
In addition to changes in sports, Premont also gave teachers more training, made students wear uniforms and changed the curriculum to more difficult standards. Thus, these changes likely had as big, or even bigger, effect on the improved school conditions. Since Ripley ignores these changes, it is unknown truly how much of an effect they had. Next, Ripley writes that Premont actually brought some sports back, such as volleyball, basketball, track and tennis. If sports were truly the problem, then why would Premont bring them back? The return of sports to the school district seems to suggest that sports was not the biggest problem at Premont. While Ripley tries to use the story of Premont to bolster her case, in reality her example falls short of credibility.
Later in her essay, Ripley attempts to tell the story of Spelman College, which does not fit with the theme of the essay. The title of Ripley’s essay is “The Case Against High School Sports” (Ripley,1). With the essay being about high school sports, Ripley can not reference a story about college sports. Sports in college are night and day when compared to high school. Clearly, trying to use the story of Spelman College greatly weakens Ripley’s argument, because the essay is not about college sports. In an essay about high school …show more content…
Ripley fails to compare test scores between the US and foreign nations, ignores key information in the story of the Premont Independent School District, attempts to use the story of college athletics in a high school article and focuses on football, while ignoring other sports. The topic of high school sports is very important to kids around the country currently playing or dreaming about playing sports in front of large communities of fans with friends and teammates. With such an important topic, I hope we can discredit articles like Amanda Ripley’s to keep that dream
Firstly, Ripley compares the American attitude on sports with that of other countries. She cites several foreign exchange students who describe the sporting culture in America being more important and significant than in their home country. Additionally, Ripley compares the higher test scores of Asian countries such as South …show more content…
In addition to changes in sports, Premont also gave teachers more training, made students wear uniforms and changed the curriculum to more difficult standards. Thus, these changes likely had as big, or even bigger, effect on the improved school conditions. Since Ripley ignores these changes, it is unknown truly how much of an effect they had. Next, Ripley writes that Premont actually brought some sports back, such as volleyball, basketball, track and tennis. If sports were truly the problem, then why would Premont bring them back? The return of sports to the school district seems to suggest that sports was not the biggest problem at Premont. While Ripley tries to use the story of Premont to bolster her case, in reality her example falls short of credibility.
Later in her essay, Ripley attempts to tell the story of Spelman College, which does not fit with the theme of the essay. The title of Ripley’s essay is “The Case Against High School Sports” (Ripley,1). With the essay being about high school sports, Ripley can not reference a story about college sports. Sports in college are night and day when compared to high school. Clearly, trying to use the story of Spelman College greatly weakens Ripley’s argument, because the essay is not about college sports. In an essay about high school …show more content…
Ripley fails to compare test scores between the US and foreign nations, ignores key information in the story of the Premont Independent School District, attempts to use the story of college athletics in a high school article and focuses on football, while ignoring other sports. The topic of high school sports is very important to kids around the country currently playing or dreaming about playing sports in front of large communities of fans with friends and teammates. With such an important topic, I hope we can discredit articles like Amanda Ripley’s to keep that dream