The controversial relationship between athletes and academics is nothing new, but it is something that should be talked about more and on a larger scale. In the past, schools have been put under fire for having a lenient policy for athletes and their academics. So why is it that these schools often put academics on the back burner as long as their star players stay on the field?
The basic reasoning behind this is that in our society, we tend to put some abilities above others. Many colleges market their football and athletics teams far before they market any type of academic outreach. Essentially, they create lenient policies that favor a better football team over better academic statistics because football is more marketable. In hindsight, most people know if a school has a good football team or not before they know what the academic state of the college is.
This situation can even be tied to the funding for certain facilities or activities. Most colleges are willing to drop millions on new sporting centers, but have a hard time justifying the same amount for a laboratory facility. In most states, college football coaches are paid more than the average doctor.
This being said, student-athletes surely do not have it easy, as they have to balance their classes and their practice schedule. Oftentimes practicing for more than one sport. Being good at these sports will surely benefit them in the long run since they can make a very successful career out of it. However, this does not justify the tendency to put their athletic state above their academics.
Giving student-athletes passes on poor academic work because of their circumstances completely discredits the students who are actually putting in the work, especially the other student-athletes who are still maintaining good faith in their academics. This also creates a stigma for athletes, making them believe that their athletic abilities are good enough to get them handed anything they want without having to do the work.
It is time that we hold more accountability for student-athletes’ academic states and the professors and schools that bend their academic integrity for these students. These students need to hold themselves to a higher standard and consider what their true value to their college is.
