Sports v. Academic organizations

[MiriaRose]

Recently, my school decided to cut our forensics program next year. This means we will no longer have a speech and debate team or forensics classes, which have real world application- After all, public speaking is important. This year they also cut HOSA, or Health Occupations Students of America. HOSA volunteered, gave to charities, ran CNA training classes, and ran blood drives.

I can understand putting money into football, to a degree- Football makes money. But tennis? Do we really need a tennis team? Do we really need a bowling team?

This isn't a rant thread; instead, I'd like a discussion: Are sports really more important than academic organizations, and why?

[Mew*Haruko]

In my opinon, not really. I believe that the Acedemic classes are far more important than tennis or bowling. Is bowling even a real sport? I'm curious.
But, most people really aren't that athletic, and tend to go for the classes. Which, I think it's a bit silly they cut those classes.

[MiriaRose]

Forensics is the only class they're cutting. HOSA and the forensics team were really clubs, although they had/ve trips and competitions. They laid off the medical training teacher, though, so there aren't any health occupations classes at my school anymore anyway.

Our school considers bowling a sport. They got mention at our assembly today for doing well at a tournament. Our forensics team never gets mentioned.

As for less people taking sports, then wouldn't that mean that it's less necessary?

[Riitah~]

I don't understand why when skools decided to cut out things they cut out more important things and keep less important things. My skool currently is awaiting a huge budget cut that intends to get rid of all drug and alcohol counselors, limit funds to Special Needs students, and other ridiculous things as such.  Random: Schools in German don't even have sports. If a student wants to play any kind of sport they have to go join a community team. Sometimes I wish we could just do that and save money, I know sports are important but we don't HAVE to have them. Yea exercise is important but exercise isn't going to get us into college and get us a paying job unless we ARE going into track or whatever as a career. So no, I don't think Sports are more important than academic classes.

[MiriaRose]

Damn, I forgot about that, how German schools don't have sports. Honestly, there's a YMCA here. I can understand certain sports, again, having funding, because they bring in money, but that's only so many sports. .

Then again, after stories by counselors saying how football players from my school with 1.8 GPAs got into college, I may be a bit jaded/biased.

[DemonSpawn]

My school cut teachers and instead spent the money on a huge fog machine and a big elaborate metal archway for the football players to run through during home games. 

Yuck, I'm incredibly thankful to be graduating this year.

[Riitah~]

Sometimes I think nowadays schools are trying to shoot for what they think is more important rather than what really is more important, and that bugs and concerns me greatly. I also don't really like how, as you said stories of Football players with 1.8 GPAs are getting into college. I find that unfair, that they practically get a free way into college just because they play a sport well, then they get to make tons of money and have a wonderful life while the rest of us have to work our little butts off to get better grades so we can get into college and have a future with a nice job and what not. I do understand they have to work hard to be great at whatever sport they play, but I personally think that it's a lot easier to practice a sport than stay on top of school.