Parents should be concerned at sports-centered education

I have to agree with the concerns expressed by Bruce Lear in his recent column, (“Sports-centered schools raise questions,” July 25) In particular, “ … is it the parents who are obsessed by sports, or is it the students?”

Professional educators understand the value of “student-centered” learning. Will these “sports-centered” schools consider the whole child, or will their programs be informed by a profit-motive to maximize a student’s athleticism, leading (or misleading) parents to believe their child is the next Caitlin Clark? It would behoove parents to ask first their children, then themselves and these schools what kind of future they see for themselves/their student and how a school’s curriculum fits with that.

A concern not raised by Lear, but worthy of consideration, is do we want our educational tax dollars paying for these private, high-tuition, sports-centered schools? With Iowa’s new Educational Savings Accounts, all Iowa tax payers should ask themselves if this is the best way to invest in our youth and our future.

Carol Hagen

Decorah