There are two types of people in this world: the worshipped and the worshippers. Within those who are worshipped, more than half are of athletic ability. I mean can you blame us, they are popular, good looking, coordinated, fit, the list goes on. And then there are people like me, lanky, skinny and bookish. Why am I choosing to write about this? Well I recently found out that the Steubenville Rape Case rapists were recently released from the juvenile detention facilities. Among research, I found out that Steubenville is most cherished for their wide-spread, popular football team, the Big Red.
The case was pretty simple, a victim too wasted to consciously make her own decisions, and a group of animals taking advantage of the situation. Because of the explicitness of the case, I will spare you the details. I will tell you that there were multiple men, four I believe, that were involved with the events on the night of the incident. Of these four, only two were prosecuted and indicted. Many, including me, believe that it was due to the powers of school administration and pride of the town which let the others involved let off.
For me, high school was very similar. Among our class, the jocks ruled the school with a charming smile and girls around their wastes. And this topic always bothered me, for it was always athletics who had special perks. These perks included leaving class early for games, being recognized in front of the entire school for achievements and special banquets held for champions. However, I took the more artistic side to academic glory. In high school, I was always know, if known at all, for my drawings and artistic ability. Unfortunately, I fell short of any glory. And with the awards I did receive, it never amounted to the pedestal the athletes were placed on. Don't get me wrong, I am not writing this out of spite or jealousy. Actually, I ran and swam in high school, which pretty much gave me my 15 minutes of fame in high school by winning the class biathlon during sophomore year, but it always bothered me that I won popularity through athletics rather than something more cultured.
I am pretty sure that if these football players were science club members, they would have received a much harsher and just punishment. But I suppose it is not only due to the acts of wanting a good football season. Through other research, I learned that the town is struggling, with only 1800 people. This football team is probably a key source of income to the town. Which places another question, why is the football team the largest income to the town? This is due to the country's highly placed need in sports.
The point I am trying to make is that society puts more effort in our athletic programs instead of education and art. This issue is what is causing our education levels and test scores to drop amongst world populations. Rather than watching how gravity affects a falling object, we are watching how a ball is thrown across a field. We must focus on the appeals to arts and science, as that will allow us to branch into the future. And among all, stop giving power to those with physical abilities. We must learn that intellectual abilities are just as important.
