Hold student athletes to higher standards

Here are some thoughts for Arne Duncan and Mike Imrem regarding providing an academic requirement for sports programs. I like Duncan's proposal of a 40 percent for post season play, however, I would raise it to 70 percent which was considered passing in the "old days."

I would further establish a new rule: For basketball, for example, and this idea could be adjusted for other sports; the five players on each team that play the most minutes in a game would have their cumulative grade point averages added to their team's score at the end of the game. A rule of this nature would make academics a priority both in the classroom and on the fields of competition. Courses used in the cumulative grade point average must be academic in nature and must carry at least three hours of credit. The student athlete must carry a minimum of a 12 hour class load to be eligible to play on any team.

While it is exciting to excel at sports and it does provide fun for students and alumni, and funding for other activities; athletic success should not only be measured by the final score or how many wins a program accumulates. Only when a school has balance between a winning program and the academic achievements of its athletics can it truly be counted as a successful program.

Harry Trumfio

Arlington Heights