FR Turbo
03-10-2006, 07:23 AM
From NewsOK.com:
Fri March 10, 2006
OSSAA should level field with private schools
By Jenni Carlson
The Oklahoman
MIDWEST CITY - The accusations and allegations kept ringing in Tommy Griffin's ears.
Literally.
Someone sitting behind him Thursday during the opening round of the Class 2A state basketball tournament kept hollering that Griffin's Oklahoma Christian squad had an unfair advantage over Crescent.
"Scholarship players!" came the taunt.
Not that there's anything wrong with that. Private schools can give scholarships to students if they deem the kids worthy.
Thing is, Oklahoma Christian gives no scholarships.
"I wanted to turn around to the guy and just tell him," Griffin would say after OCS throttled Crescent 58-34 and advanced to today's semifinal at Carl Albert Fieldhouse. "But that's not going to do any good."
The coach shook his head.
"We don't have any scholarships at all. We don't try to disguise it and say it's for academics. We just don't give scholarships."
Scratch ever so slightly, and you'll discover the debate over private and public schools competing for the same trophies lurks just below the surface.
Nowhere is it more evident than the boys' 2A state tournament. The field features the likes of Oktaha and Washington, Stroud and Wewoka. Then there's OCS, which is in Edmond, and Oklahoma Bible Academy, which is in Enid.
Something about that just doesn't feel right.
Part of it has to do with OCS. The Saints are going for their third consecutive title after winning 3A a year ago, then dropping down to 2A this year. They might be good enough to win 4A.
Earlier this season they knocked off Bishop McGuinness, top ranked in 4A.
OCS has a bonafide superstar in Blake Griffin, son of Tommy and brother of Taylor, Oklahoma's freshman forward. As good as his big brother is, the younger Griffin is better. He is 6-foot-8 and strong. Agile. Athletic.
Yet even if the Talented Mr. Griffin played elsewhere, having Oklahoma Christian and Oklahoma Bible competing with teams from Crescent and Pawnee just wouldn't seem right.
The private schools draw their kids from a large area. In Oklahoma, they must declare their boundaries when they petition to become part of the activities association. Oklahoma Christian, for example, has a boundary that includes all of Edmond and anything north of Interstate 40 in Oklahoma City.
If kids live in that area and can pay the tuition, they can go to OCS.
All of that is out on the table when a private school asks to join the association. That means that lots of public schools agreed to that larger area when Oklahoma Christian or Oklahoma Bible or Heritage Hall or any other private school petitioned for membership.
So, is debate about private schools competing against public schools just sour grapes?
Not necessarily.
Frankly, yours truly might be as big a supporter of private schools as you'll find among folks who were educated in public schools. Folks should have the option to send their kids to private school if they want.
But there is a significant advantage when it comes to athletic competition in the smaller classifications where many of the schools have a significant rural population.
Oktaha is the squad that will face Oklahoma Christian today. The Tigers won a nail-biter against Stroud on Thursday, hitting the putback game-winner with about seven second remaining, then sweating out a last-second three-pointer attempt. Folks nearly stormed the court when it was all over.
Oklahoma Christian fans are as passionate about their team. Their student section is rowdy and fun. They don't curse. They don't taunt. They hop around and hold up their shoes when the other team is shooting free throws -- don't ask -- and wear goofy costumes.
It's not every day you see a guy in the student section wearing gold lame.
There should be a place in the OSSAA for private schools. Separating them from the public schools would be a huge mistake. Some states have done that, but Oklahoma needs to keep the public and private schools together.
But it needs to level the playing field a bit. Private schools should have their enrollment calculated with a multiplier. Instead of every student counting as one, they should count as one-plus.
Private schools like Oklahoma Christian that offer no financial aid could use a multiplier of 1.25.
Offer financial aid, and your multiplier is 1.5.
For some private schools, that would not affect their classification. Oklahoma Bible, for example, is the smallest school in 2A. Even with a multiplier, it would still be 2A.
But OCS would move up. So would McGuinness and Heritage Hall and others.
This isn't about making things easier for public schools, nor is it about making things more difficult for private schools. This is about things being more equitable for everyone.
Maybe it wouldn't solve everything.
"It's sort of like politics," Griffin said of the private-public debate. "No matter how good things are going or how bad things are going, there's always going to be division."
Still, making a change would eliminate some of the accusations that the playing field is tilted.
Fri March 10, 2006
OSSAA should level field with private schools
By Jenni Carlson
The Oklahoman
MIDWEST CITY - The accusations and allegations kept ringing in Tommy Griffin's ears.
Literally.
Someone sitting behind him Thursday during the opening round of the Class 2A state basketball tournament kept hollering that Griffin's Oklahoma Christian squad had an unfair advantage over Crescent.
"Scholarship players!" came the taunt.
Not that there's anything wrong with that. Private schools can give scholarships to students if they deem the kids worthy.
Thing is, Oklahoma Christian gives no scholarships.
"I wanted to turn around to the guy and just tell him," Griffin would say after OCS throttled Crescent 58-34 and advanced to today's semifinal at Carl Albert Fieldhouse. "But that's not going to do any good."
The coach shook his head.
"We don't have any scholarships at all. We don't try to disguise it and say it's for academics. We just don't give scholarships."
Scratch ever so slightly, and you'll discover the debate over private and public schools competing for the same trophies lurks just below the surface.
Nowhere is it more evident than the boys' 2A state tournament. The field features the likes of Oktaha and Washington, Stroud and Wewoka. Then there's OCS, which is in Edmond, and Oklahoma Bible Academy, which is in Enid.
Something about that just doesn't feel right.
Part of it has to do with OCS. The Saints are going for their third consecutive title after winning 3A a year ago, then dropping down to 2A this year. They might be good enough to win 4A.
Earlier this season they knocked off Bishop McGuinness, top ranked in 4A.
OCS has a bonafide superstar in Blake Griffin, son of Tommy and brother of Taylor, Oklahoma's freshman forward. As good as his big brother is, the younger Griffin is better. He is 6-foot-8 and strong. Agile. Athletic.
Yet even if the Talented Mr. Griffin played elsewhere, having Oklahoma Christian and Oklahoma Bible competing with teams from Crescent and Pawnee just wouldn't seem right.
The private schools draw their kids from a large area. In Oklahoma, they must declare their boundaries when they petition to become part of the activities association. Oklahoma Christian, for example, has a boundary that includes all of Edmond and anything north of Interstate 40 in Oklahoma City.
If kids live in that area and can pay the tuition, they can go to OCS.
All of that is out on the table when a private school asks to join the association. That means that lots of public schools agreed to that larger area when Oklahoma Christian or Oklahoma Bible or Heritage Hall or any other private school petitioned for membership.
So, is debate about private schools competing against public schools just sour grapes?
Not necessarily.
Frankly, yours truly might be as big a supporter of private schools as you'll find among folks who were educated in public schools. Folks should have the option to send their kids to private school if they want.
But there is a significant advantage when it comes to athletic competition in the smaller classifications where many of the schools have a significant rural population.
Oktaha is the squad that will face Oklahoma Christian today. The Tigers won a nail-biter against Stroud on Thursday, hitting the putback game-winner with about seven second remaining, then sweating out a last-second three-pointer attempt. Folks nearly stormed the court when it was all over.
Oklahoma Christian fans are as passionate about their team. Their student section is rowdy and fun. They don't curse. They don't taunt. They hop around and hold up their shoes when the other team is shooting free throws -- don't ask -- and wear goofy costumes.
It's not every day you see a guy in the student section wearing gold lame.
There should be a place in the OSSAA for private schools. Separating them from the public schools would be a huge mistake. Some states have done that, but Oklahoma needs to keep the public and private schools together.
But it needs to level the playing field a bit. Private schools should have their enrollment calculated with a multiplier. Instead of every student counting as one, they should count as one-plus.
Private schools like Oklahoma Christian that offer no financial aid could use a multiplier of 1.25.
Offer financial aid, and your multiplier is 1.5.
For some private schools, that would not affect their classification. Oklahoma Bible, for example, is the smallest school in 2A. Even with a multiplier, it would still be 2A.
But OCS would move up. So would McGuinness and Heritage Hall and others.
This isn't about making things easier for public schools, nor is it about making things more difficult for private schools. This is about things being more equitable for everyone.
Maybe it wouldn't solve everything.
"It's sort of like politics," Griffin said of the private-public debate. "No matter how good things are going or how bad things are going, there's always going to be division."
Still, making a change would eliminate some of the accusations that the playing field is tilted.