Schools should be cut funding for extracurricular activities such as sports and the arts when schools buildings are in need of repair.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.
This topic raises the controversial issue of whether schools should invest in extracurricular activities even if it means more cost for the school. Indisputably, schools are not required to fund any extracurricular activity, even though, most of the schools in the United States does. Understandably, since their funding from the state is limited to only school-hour activities and classes, schools in underdeveloped regions might find themselves with no fund for after-school activities such as sports and arts. However, without cutting their fund to accommodate such opportunities schools should think creatively and cutting the funding should not be their first resort.
First of all, although most of the schools in the United States are public schools and, therefore, receive funding from the state they are too trying to survive financially like private schools do. It might be often the case that they are left with no funding to make repairs or after school courses. However, this does not mean that they should accept this unfortunate situation without even trying some other means. Even though there is no proper facility among the school buildings, the school can always lease a proper building somewhere else. If there is no funding for such lease the school could charge students who attend such courses with a small amount. although This option would not make parents happy since activities that are used to be free not is not free. However, if compared to private businesses that offer such activities the school’s fee would still be the most convenient since it does not aim to profit but only afford the expenses of having such activities. At the end of the day how much it could cost to lease a basketball court? Since the school is providing an instructor for free, the students would be asking to pay very small of money. Also, without leasing, the school also could ask the municipality to provide a court for free. Considering in a municipality there are many schools with proper facilities, the municipality can authorize the use of another school’s court when the school itself is not using it. This way, both schools’ student would benefit from this opportunity for free. Also, there are other means that a school can get extra funding. In the United States, there are many foundations, help groups that are looking to support students, especially in poor regions. The school could apply for such grant from them. Besides, the school can make money from renting its garden or parking lot or even its classrooms for activities when students are not in the school. This way it could afford the repair of school building necessary for extracurricular activities.
There are many reasons why the school should try every possible means to accommodate such extracurricular activities before shutting them down right away. In the United States, obesity among school-age student is increasingly high. The only option for most of the student to learn how to exercise might be the course that the school is providing. Also, the research shows that attendance to art colleges are dropping because art graduates cannot find jobs and students are now choosing their major not based on their passion but their financial concerns. Having an art course in the school might affect their thinking and encourage them to pursue a degree in art.
