Values in question

I’ve never written to the newspaper before, but I find this situation so unbelievable and sad that I felt it was important to make it known. It causes me to wonder if it’s possible that the priorities and goals of some schools and teachers have changed so drastically over the years that I am being unrealistic to think our children and families should be our first priority, or that most teachers truly care about children and want to help them become good citizens and caring people as well as teach them academically.

A high school senior student was recently kicked off his basketball team by his coach. It began when this boy made the decision not to attend a “tentative” basketball practice because it was taking place on the last Christmas Eve he would be spending with his Dad for an unknown time as his father was leaving in a few days for deployment to Iraq. With concern over his dad and not knowing when he would see him again, he made the decision to spend that last day and evening with his father.

When he went to his game the following Saturday, his coach informed him he would be sitting out the entire game because he had not attended that practice. His mom, who lives out-of-state, had family members who had just arrived from New York that day for a short visit and attended that game hoping to give him support and watch him play, so I know it had to hurt deeply that he had to sit out the entire game, but he knew he had made that decision to spend that time with his father.

The following Monday, when he went to practice, he was called into a room by his coach, along with the assistant coach and another school official (with no notification of any kind to the boy or any relative of what was to occur), and informed him that he was being kicked off the team because he had not shown enough “enthusiasm” at that game. With all this boy had on his plate concerning with father, and sitting out the game on the bench, he was now being kicked off the team for not having shown enough “enthusiasm.”

The only family member left in the area able to speak for this boy was his grandmother, who did speak with the coaches and the principal of the school, all of whom stated they would back up the coach in his decision regardless of the situation. The assistant basketball coach (who also was this boy’s football coach this year) did state that the boy acted in a mature and respectable manner during the meeting and what a good job he had done for him on the football team.

It is almost shocking to me as I observe the lack of understanding, compassion, and respect some of the coaches demonstrate toward these kids. Does missing a practice because your dad is going to Iraq in a couple days warrant you sitting on the bench followed by being thrown off the team for a lack of enthusiasm? What does this sort of action teach our kids about values? There are schools in our area that have people with the ability and talent to be stern, kind, and respectful, and still win games along with important humane values at the same time.

J.M. Smith

Bangor

Update to P.A. needed

Now that the University of Maine is building a new pressbox at Mahaney Diamond, thanks to the generosity of Mr. Larry Mahaney, and just in time to host the America East Championships, I hope they find enough money to install a P.A. system that can play our national anthem in a way that doesn’t embarrass our team and fans.

Leonard Noyes

Orono