Article continues at Rockville PatchBelow is an excerpt from my Jan. 17 testimony to MCPS Supt. Joshua Starr and the Board of Education urging them to include $500,000 in the FY 2014 Operating Budget to staff each of MCPS's 25 high schools with an athletic trainer.
I am also attaching a Maryland map reflecting my survey showing which local public school systems have trainers at their high schools. Not on the map is Fairfax County, Virginia, just across the Potomac River, where each of its 25 high schools has two full-time trainers.
Concussion expert Robert Cantu, MD and others say that if you can't afford trainers, maybe you can't afford to have a high school sports program. This is especially true for high school football, which studies show accounts for half of all concussions in a high school sports program...
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I don't doubt a lot of folks that don't have a kid in high school athletics might scoff at this as a luxury expense. Heck no. A lot of the schools pay for it via their Booster Clubs but a lot of schools don't have the money, certainly not for every game. The problem is this to me is essential. My daughter has received a concussion and a knee dislocation playing in high school. Thankfully their was a trainer there for the concussion who was a big help, but there wasn't for the knee dislocation. Several people tried to jump in and help with their own ideas on what to do. I feel "Athletic Trainer" is an improper title but someone needs to be at these games to respond to injuries that has some background. Well intentioned parents or coaches with little to no training can do more harm than good in some cases. Whether we are talking a pull, strain, cut, break or something more serious.
ReplyDeleteLet the Board of Education know. They are going to increase the TRAVEL budget for administrators and staff by $305,105 for FY 2014. That's where their priority lies: Travel for administrators.
DeleteSafety for children? Forget it.
The children don't have a union and don't have a seat at the secret budget table. So their safety and well being is not a priority.
Sorry, Ms. Sartucci. The children DO have a union and it is the MCCPTA, which IS at the secret budget table. The parents prefer to spend millions on artificial turf instead of 'trainers.' Their choice. As a taxpayer when I see our teachers go wanted and classrooms filled to burst, I do not want my money spent on sports. First things first.
ReplyDeleteSorry, wrong. MCCPTA is a private, dues required club that represents a small minority of parents as members. They do not speak for the children.
ReplyDelete@Janis, They claim they do. Where are the parents to speak up and contradict them? I don't see them at the budget hearings or at the polls. I sure see the PTA, though. I agree with the importance of a trainer,in fact, a trained medical expert. Absolutely. But the parents have made their decision, and they have been aggressivly nasty about it. They want the artificial turf fields, now they have them. There is only so much money. If as parents they insist on $1.1million artificial turf fields at all their schools, that takes away money from other, real sports needs. Their choice. Meanwhile our fellow citizens who are poor don't have enough to eat and don't have the medical care they need. Because we have to pay for artificial turf fields.
ReplyDeleteLet's be clear, MCCPTA leadership cares about using the dues money for parties and food, a reflection of Maryland and National PTA using their dues money for hotel stays and food for the Board members instead of on programs that benefit children. Both Boards let this nonsense go on, and if anyone objects they are quickly silenced and pushed out by the bullies. Regular PTA members do not watch what the money is being spent on, "trusting" the leadership to be good stewards of their money. They could not be more wrong. Ms. Sartucci is right, none of these groups of "leaders" cares about children, only about their own personal power and prestige, oh, and parties.
ReplyDelete