High school sports, an uncertain future: Readers respond

High school sports are a vital part of any community -- especially a small outstate community. Athletics add life to a community and give citizens a source of pride. While it's true athletics often are overemphasized and given too much attention, it is a very important part of the education process. ... Once the school is forced to cut athletics, or pair with the school down the road, the whole community suffers. ... Undoubtedly it takes a large amount of money to operate a school and provide extracurricular activities. But the loss of the school and/or athletics would have a very damaging event on the entire community.

MIKE DROOGER, Edgerton, Minn.

Raising athletic fees so high that only the well-off children can participate is not good. Athletics in school should be for all to enjoy, not just the people who can afford it. Athletics are as important as learning. I understand that at this time, due to the economy, money is short for both families and the state. ... School districts also have to look at saving money. I live in a school district where the superintendent does an excellent job of managing finances. But I look at schools in the metro area and think that it is not right that some schools have so much and others are barely making it.

DAVID BRAUN, St. Charles, Minn.

My idea is to add a check-off on the state tax return for a $1, $2, $5, or $10 tax-deductible contribution specifically to fund sports and other extracurricular activities (dance, cheerleaders, band, etc). Funding is to be distributed by a strict formula of school population size and actual participant count with some non-linear effects to ensure adequate funding of smaller schools. Funds go into a trust with administration by a part-time professional (or volunteer) triad of managers appointed one each by the governor, the House and the Senate. ... When the trust hits its funding cap, the schools should be able to divert all of their current funding of sports, etc., back to scholastic purposes. I think this can provide a permanent solution for funding all K-12 extracurricular activities.

JOHN BOYLE, Bloomington

Hardly anyone involved seems to be concerned with cutting costs or providing effective opportunities for the masses. For instance, why does it cost well over $100 for a middle school student to play volleyball, or why should the masses subsidize an activity like basketball when only seven or eight players usually play, with only three or four of them actually doing so in a meaningful manner? My view is that schools should get out of the varsity sports business and use the resources on intramurals, physical fitness, nutrition and life-long sports activities, with the dozen or so families who really want to go all out in a sport like basketball footing the bill privately, while using the gym after the regular kids are done.

JOHN C. HERBERT, St. Louis Park

The politics of today requires referendums to keep education afloat, a strategy that removes the responsibility and burden of decision-making away from legislators and the governor and dumps it on our school administrators, school board members and districts with limited financial resources. ... The focus needs to be on taxing the wealthiest in our country, who, according to Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, do not pay their fair percentage of the tax necessary to support our schools and fund government.

WAYNE ODELL, Rochester