I saw this in the Washington Post and I have not decided how I feel about it. Apparently a high school football stud named Pat Lazear is accused of robbing a smoothie store [doubt it was the one described here since there are so few but not for long] and was forced to finish his junior year of high school from home. Then the county had him transfer to another school where he is continuing to play football.
I understand why this is newsworthy, but I dont think that I have a problem with it. I assume that he is innocent of those charges until he has a trial and proven guilty. Until that happens, I dont see why he cant continue a normal life for his last year of high school. It says his trial begins Nov. 29, which I assume will be after the high school football season.
I do think its sort of cheap for his new school. The article indicates he is such an impact player that he immediately makes his new school a possible playoff contender. Obviously they welcome him with open arms and claim to have given him a new clean slate. But I wonder how this situation would be different if he didnt play football. I also dont know if it is standard to re-assign students to different high schools because of pending legal trials. The article quoted a coach from another county as saying that a player with this off the field trouble would never have this opportunity in his county.
I also think its strange that he is taking english through BYU and trying to graduate in December. It seems more and more like this half year of school is completely for the football and not the education. And the argument can be made that by playing football he can try and get a scholarship. And while that is true, I dont feel like his intention of going to college is to further his education as much as it is to play bigtime D-1 football. But then again, I cant blame the guy. I do respect those college programs that lost interest. I know if I were running a college program I would probably avoid student-athletes with off the field issues.
One other random note that I found especially entertaining is that he has to wear an ankle monitor at all times, even on the field.
I dont mind that he is being allowed to play, even if it is only to play football. What I do mind is that I get a sense of a lack of responsibility being taken. Young adults (in this case an athlete) want to take no responsibility for their actions. He mentions having a curfew and not being able to do what he wants and how it "sucks". Well that curfew was put in place because of his actions. I do not love that the thought of him being allowed to do whatever he wants because he is a star football player is being reinforced already. It happens to celebrities and other star athletes and its annoying. But now high school athletes are getting special treatment and being made to think that is how it is supposed to go. I think there becomes a point where everyone needs to take responsibility for what they did. Having said all that, this guy might be different. I hope he takes advantage of this opportunity and never looks back.
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Food for thought: We had a lab technician where I worked who was arrested and charged with child abuse (and it was an extreme case). Despite the arrest being on the news and everything the guy was allowed to keep his job until he was proven guilty in court, which he eventually was.
Granted a lab tech is less likely to think that the world should be given to them on a silver platter than a HS football player who could probably stand be knocked down a few pegs, but on the otherhand abuse is worse than robbing a smoothy place (at least in my book).
Anyway, it's a parallel story although not totally similar. Personally, it's hard for me to take the kid's side. If you have that much going for you just don't put yourself in that situation.
What ever happened to accountability? Like, seriously. Everywhere you see if you make enough money, or provide enough of a service (as in athletes) you no longer have to be held accountable for your actions. That's what pisses me off. I think it's sad that some places are willing to not hold someone accountable for their actions just to win a game.
JWT - That was sorta the point of my posting about the guy who beat his kid. It's not about stature, it's about due process. The flip side of this is the people who are arrested and charged and branded by the public or fired from their jobs. Then low and behold they are found innocent, but it's too late their life has already been ruined.
If the kid is found guilty, which it sounds like he should be then I hope he gets what is coming to him, like the lab tech did. But until then and afterward if he is innocent, he deserves to not have his life ruined.
aka - this story is getting press because the kid is a standout athlete, but the "nothing-special" lab tech was able to keep on keeping on until his day in court but no one reported that.
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