The current GPA requirement is 2.0 to be eligible to play sports and there is a common dispute among students and teachers whether or not this is too low of a requirement.
There are reasons on both sides of the debate for example, athletes should be held to a higher standard, the bar is set too low for athletes, and good grades are a point of trust and responsibility. “The minimum GPA should be at least a 2.5. Sports are extra. You should be building your mind while you participate as an athlete. MCPS sets the bar so low when it comes to passing a class. We want athletes to step up on the field, so why would we not expect them to step up in the classroom too?” biology teacher David Bitler said.
Another big reason that people use is that people should be motivated by their sport to meet the threshold of a 2.0 GPA .“As an athlete, people are not only inclined to play the sport but also are looking towards college through Wootton’s athletics and academics. For you to have a good grade shows colleges that you are not only able to handle stresses outside of just your daily life but also that you are responsible enough to hold up the academic, social, and personal values of but most importantly who you are representing; the school,” junior Garrett Valentine said.
While there are people who believe that the 2.0 GPA minimum is too low, there are others who believe otherwise. Sports should motivate athletes to meet the threshold but they shouldn’t have to struggle to meet the threshold. “Teachers and students that disagree with the 2.0 GPA minimum aren’t looking at it through an equitable lens, playing a sport in high school is tough. You have so many practices and games that it can often be hard to keep up with school work,” athletic supervisor Al Lightsey said.
Another important thing about the 2.0 GPA requirement is that it gives the athletes some leniency with their grades if the aren’t doing so well in a class and need help. It makes it so that it doesn’t get in the way of their sports and they are still eligible to play. It is harder for students who have trouble with learning or have things that can get in the way of their learning such as myself. I have ADHD which can make it hard to focus sometimes and sports motivate me to get good grades but it shouldn’t be hard for me or others to be eligible. “It gives you some wiggle room if you’re struggling in class,” Lightsey said.
Even after all these facts and reasons that there is so much evidence that the 2.0 GPA minimum should stay as is, there are still people in this school and in the county who believe it should be raised. What do you think?
