2008 Woodie Awards
Our Take
Majority opinions of The Red & Black's editorial board
Issue date: 7/3/08 Section: Opinions
Lemon goes sour
Athletes' ongoing police troubles
tarnish University's athletic program
It just doesn't stop. For too many times this summer some of our athletes have seen fit to engage in illegal antics, to the extreme detriment of the image of our athletic program and the University.
We lamented last week (although we somewhat appreciate these continued incidents because it makes our jobs of reporting the news so much easier), but we would just rather our players got in line.
It is a shame that these recurrent arrests and discipline problems keep arising, week after week. One wonders what could be done to deter these events more: harsher punishments for bad behavior, greater rewards for good?
We do feel, however, that Coach Richt should not be blamed for this. It always happens when these boondoggles arise that the coaches take the blame. But as we see it, in this and other cases, it really is out of the hands of the coaches. Mark Richt has no control over what his players do off the field.
If it would help them, then, maybe we should start a program pairing off some of our problem cases with members of the Gym Dogs to pass their free time. You never hear about them getting arrested for DUI or battery.
Whatever the problem is, we hope that our football and basketball teams can get their problems straightened out and be ready for the fall.
- Matt Brandenburgh for the editorial board
Math teachers rule
College of Education singled out in educational realm as top-tier school
The National Council on Teacher Quality announced that the University's College of Education has an "exemplary" program for preparing elementary school math teachers.
Well done, we say.
We applaud the College of Education for this recognition - only 10 of the nation's education schools even received acceptable marks.
Additionally, the University's College of Education was the only school to receive quality ratings in all three areas of the study - relevance, breadth and depth of coursework and instruction.
But wait, we're still one of the last states in test scores. We have one of the country's top math education schools, and yet our K-12 school children cannot pass their tests.
So where does the discrepancy lie? Why the imbalance between quality of teacher education and student ability?
With rigorous course design and field experience, the University's program was marked as quite successful because it combines theory and practice.
Do our graduates move after graduation and teach out of state? Are there less well-trained upper-level teachers, leaving a missing link between elementary and middle school math?
For one thing, it is worth noting that no other Georgia colleges or universities were even declared "acceptable" in the survey.
We're not sure, but maybe our excellent math teachers can help. Maybe that's the problem with our state's public school system.
Perhaps with continued educational rigor and increased support from professors we'll see those state scores raise even more.
Keep it up, College of Education. We hope everyone else will follow.
- Carolyn Crist for the editorial board
Athletes' ongoing police troubles
tarnish University's athletic program
It just doesn't stop. For too many times this summer some of our athletes have seen fit to engage in illegal antics, to the extreme detriment of the image of our athletic program and the University.
We lamented last week (although we somewhat appreciate these continued incidents because it makes our jobs of reporting the news so much easier), but we would just rather our players got in line.
It is a shame that these recurrent arrests and discipline problems keep arising, week after week. One wonders what could be done to deter these events more: harsher punishments for bad behavior, greater rewards for good?
We do feel, however, that Coach Richt should not be blamed for this. It always happens when these boondoggles arise that the coaches take the blame. But as we see it, in this and other cases, it really is out of the hands of the coaches. Mark Richt has no control over what his players do off the field.
If it would help them, then, maybe we should start a program pairing off some of our problem cases with members of the Gym Dogs to pass their free time. You never hear about them getting arrested for DUI or battery.
Whatever the problem is, we hope that our football and basketball teams can get their problems straightened out and be ready for the fall.
- Matt Brandenburgh for the editorial board
Math teachers rule
College of Education singled out in educational realm as top-tier school
The National Council on Teacher Quality announced that the University's College of Education has an "exemplary" program for preparing elementary school math teachers.
Well done, we say.
We applaud the College of Education for this recognition - only 10 of the nation's education schools even received acceptable marks.
Additionally, the University's College of Education was the only school to receive quality ratings in all three areas of the study - relevance, breadth and depth of coursework and instruction.
But wait, we're still one of the last states in test scores. We have one of the country's top math education schools, and yet our K-12 school children cannot pass their tests.
So where does the discrepancy lie? Why the imbalance between quality of teacher education and student ability?
With rigorous course design and field experience, the University's program was marked as quite successful because it combines theory and practice.
Do our graduates move after graduation and teach out of state? Are there less well-trained upper-level teachers, leaving a missing link between elementary and middle school math?
For one thing, it is worth noting that no other Georgia colleges or universities were even declared "acceptable" in the survey.
We're not sure, but maybe our excellent math teachers can help. Maybe that's the problem with our state's public school system.
Perhaps with continued educational rigor and increased support from professors we'll see those state scores raise even more.
Keep it up, College of Education. We hope everyone else will follow.
- Carolyn Crist for the editorial board
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