NY Times: Athletic Coaches as Teachers?

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: NY Times: Athletic Coaches as Teachers?
From: "David L. Evans" <...evans@fas.harvard.edu>
Date: Tue, August 14, 2007 5:06 am
To: pg@harvardsf.org

Perry,

A short while ago I might have shared with you my thoughts about the possible use of athletic coaches (especially those with winning records) as classroom teachers in troubled urban schools.  In a time when much of what we read about young black males concerns mindless violence and self-destructive behavior, athletic coaches have repeatedly assembled thousands of them into winning teams.  Somehow these men are able to convey and reinforce the related values of discipline, organization, analysis, teamwork, efficiency, preparation and ultimate success.
 
One of the best examples of these "miracle workers" is Robert Shannon, former head football coach at East St. Louis Senior High School in East St. Louis, Illinois.  In a predominantly black city where social and economic problems seem innumerable, his teams won six state-wide championships in fifteen years!  All of the championships were at the highest level of competition in Illinois.
 
In his New York Times column on Saturday, August 11, 2007 Bob Herbert wrote about the execution-style killings in Newark, NJ and other deadly shootings in Chicago, Camden, NJ and Philadelphia.  He lay much of the blame at the feet of parents (missing and present) and I was reminded of athletic coaches like Bob Shannon who often serve as surrogate parents to their players.  What if Shannon's special talents were brought into the classroom?

I wrote to the Times and the letter (see below) is published in today’s edition:


Best regards,
 
 
 
David
____________________________________

August 14, 2007
 

Ending Youth Violence

To the Editor:

Re “A Bloodbath in Newark, and Beyond” (column, Aug. 11):

Bob Herbert suggests that most of those who raise the young violent criminals on our streets are failing in their parental duties. I agree, and perhaps it is time for society to intervene in the “cultural triangle” of home, school and place of worship.

Homes and places of worship are off limits, but schools are different. It is permissible for society to regulate performance standards and behavior of students and teachers.

In black communities, most of the violence is perpetrated by young males, but in those same communities, athletic coaches have been amazingly successful in motivating and directing boys and young men. Shouldn't we hear from these remarkable mentors and recruit some of them back to teaching academic courses?

Where necessary, we should even encourage schools of education to offer them courses to refurbish their teaching skills. These men know something we don'’t.

David L. Evans
Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 11, 2007

 

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