Goodpasture Confidential

[Guest]

Goodpasture puts way too much emphasis on sports rather than academics. Its priorities are all messed up. Children who are on the big fields (football, basketball, even perhaps baseball) are second hand students at Goodpasture. Academic success is just an afterthought.

[one_mad_parent]

I totally agree, but that's because sports is a money maker for the school and right now as I see it that's all they're worried about. The Almighty Dollar!

[Guest]

How do they afford to pay the tuition of the better players recruited to Goodpasture.

I understand that even gifts from a non family member specifically to pay tuition and play ball are illegal in the eyes of the TSSAA.

[8-ball]

Name one player who's tution is being payed by the school?.... exactly you can't because there aren't any. As for atheltics and academics I was accepted to 2 very highly rated academic schools with my education from goodpasture. Once again you people accuse the school of wrong doings with no hard evidence.

[Sniffles]

I would like to see as much focus and emphasis put on grades and teaching as the school puts on the football program. The downside to that might be that teachers with the personal problems of Coach Martin would then be gods - as if that were not already the case. It does seem that there are a group of teachers who have been there for a long time who are beyond question.

[Guest]

I have suspected for some time that Goodpasture coaches were recruiting players for the high school, some of which do not appear to have been able to make the tuition payments. I would like to know the truth about whether the school is recruiting and how some of these people are handling tuition. Its hard for my family to make the payments. Is the school discounting the tuition, just not enforcing collection or is someone paying it for atheletes? I have heard that the school cuts tuition for some families but I do not know if that is sports or for other reasons.

[gpmom]

If you want to know if any of our athletes are recruited just check with the current members of the softball team. Several of the newer players, namely eighth graders, are recruited and will easily share the information with you. Some of the parents will even share (brag) that they are not paying any tuition.

These players are brought in as eight graders as to not call attention to the recruiting process and violate any TSSAA rules.

[Proudpapa]

Just curious, but what money does each sport team bring in? Is it truely the revenue from all the ballgames? From what I can teel that doesn't cover all the extra "teachers" that they need for those events.

Or, is the money coming from donations to the school because they like giving money to a winning team?

I do not know how that works.

I do know of one family in recent years that has had "help" from outside parties, but i am not sure that is a Goodpasture thing as much as it is a "friend" thing.

[Guest]

[Guest]

It has been rumored that David Martin was going to retire. Is that just a rumor started by the other schools in our division or is there substance to it.

[Looking Around]

There is no way in the world it would let Matin get away.

Goodpasture sold its soul to be a sports oriented school.

Without sports, Goodpasture is nothing.

The board would dump Drake before it would allow the loss of Martin.

Look at all they have done for him. . . do you think that a fellow that has a temple built in his name would walk off from it?

Only his priest are allowed in the temple but I expect that all students will soon be required to meet on the temple parking lot and burn sacrifices to him.

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Edited to remove student's name] is a self centered sheltered kid the only reason the #@!$#@
plays varsity is because hes like 4000 pounds.

[Edited by Admin, as noted.]

[guest viewer]

I cannot believe the above was posted. [Edited to remove student's name] is a student who has nothing to do with this site. Please keep jealous thoughts out of this and off of the forum. Where is the moderator? Do your job!

[Edited by Admin, as noted.]

[astarparent]

where is the moderator??? HA! having caffiene and TRYING to multi-task!! LMAO!!!!!

[Guest]

[JohnHarris]

[Guest]

[7th grade parent]

And please let's not forget the up and coming 7th graders (8th this year) who can do no wrong, rule the school, and are having their tuition (at least some of them) paid. One even goes to school bragging about it.

[9th Grading]

If there are students that are getting a free ride for playing sports I would like to know who they are by name. If they are then its not right.

[Guest]

[JohnHarris]

It interesting that you relate these facts at this time. I was in court today on matters involving a family with many Goodpasture connections. An individual unrelated to my case but who has been involved with Goodpasture for many, many years, came up to me and started a conversation with the question of whether I thought TSSAA would finally take action against Goodpasture this year for the apparently well perceived violations. As some have noted and I agree, unless a parent or coach, either within or outside Goodpasture, files a formal complaint based upon first hand knowledge with TSSAA then I think that TSSAA is willing to just look the other way. I know that there are coaches at other schools who are aware of the facts and just do not want to be thought of as snitches or "poor losers."

In some respects it could be argued that TSSAA sanctioning Goodpasture would be a strong catalyst to realign many academic and discipline issues and resolve in particular some bullying and other "inappropriate" conduct issues pertaining to mainly the high school.

Would it be painful, sure but the same is said of those who abuse their own bodies and suffer disease. Curative efforts such as surgery are often painful, disruptive but necessary in an effort to achieve good health.

Would it be unfair to the honest student athletes, perhaps. At the same time part of the responsibility falls back on those student athletes and their parents who are aware of these intentional violations and elect to look the other way in the pursuit of the holy grail of beating Alcoa rather than to do it fairly under the TSSAA rules.

Will TSSAA do something? The real questions are

- why has the existing Board of Directors condoned this action?

- why have those in control of the school allowed it to happen or persist?

- will Mr. Perry do something to investigate the facts and if violations have in fact taken place, self report Goodpasture to TSSAA. If he does that, it will demonstrate integrity is more important than athletic success at all costs and may indicate a new hope for the future of the school.

Actually, one could easily argue that the best way to dispel the suspicions, rumors and assertions of unfairness that have clouded Goodpasture for many years would be for Mr. Perry to ask TSSAA to do an investigation in an attempt to simply set the record straight.

[expelled parent]

9th grading-----Go back and read "Sports gives my child a chance" and gp mom's Out of Balance post.

[Expelled Parent]

Don't ever expect discipline to be given to these students because it is just not going to happen. If it would there are three that would no longer be a problem for they would have been expelled for breaking the law. I guess though we can't go recruiting students, seeing that their tuition is paid and then have them arrested for assault and sexual abuse can we?

[Guest]

Everyone needs to remember that EVERY single private school "recruits"I went to BA and thats all that goes on there,I was fortunate to get the offer!!!!!

[JohnHarris]

That same argument could be used with fornication, cheating on your spouse, dishonesty, cheating on your taxes, internet porn, smoking pot, or just about any sin that could be listed.

That argument never makes right what the law, rules or regulations prohibit.

If TSSAA prohibits recruiting and financial aid (other than needs based with a clearance letter), is Goodpasture justified in doing it because it thinks all the other schools are doing it as well?

If that is true then whey are the coaches and families at some of the other schools critical of Goodpasture? Are you saying that the complaints are just because Goodpasture is better at breaking the rules?

If Goodpasture is really operated on Christian principles, should it not be setting an example rather than leading a packet of other sinners?

[Me,too]

John, that is not what Guest said. Stay on subject. He is only stating a fact. We do not need a lecture on your moral values.

[Guest]

I thought BA was sanctioned for recruiting. Isn't there a difference between allowable and unallowable recruiting? What's the point of Christian school if it disregards the higher standards of conduct that Christ demonstrated? Mr. Harris's statement is on topic to me. I would rather have Christian examples than trophies in the trophy case that are obtained by breaking the rules and I want my children to understand right from wrong.

[DavidLewis]

[GP Grad]

Every private school does not recruit. TSSAA can look into anything they want without provocation. Rules state that financial aid can be given to any student in grades K-8 but no student can be given aid in grades 9-12. Some schools can bypass this rule without breaking it by offering financial aid to younger siblings of the desired athlete, thus giving the family a tuition break but not the high school athlete. If Goodpasture was breaking the rules, TSSAA would know about it, they watch all private schools with winning teams very closely.

[JohnHarris]

TSSAA, we are told, will not take action without a written complaint.

[Guest]