The "Student" Athletes of UNC

Mary Willingham, a former learning specialist with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has recently spoken out with some appalling news regarding the student athletes of the university-- or maybe we should just call them athletes... because according to her findings, they really aren't much of students.

Early in Willingham's tenure with the school, a young athlete came into her office for help with his studies, and she "panicked" when she realized that he couldn't read or write.  Later, Willingham came into contact with another that couldn't read words with multiple syllables and yet another who wanted to learn how to read "so he could read about himself in the news."  A recent CNN study of a few schools discovered that many students that play basketball and football could only read at an eighth grade level.

Willingham decided to conduct her own research and screened 183 athletes that played either basketball or football for UNC in the years since 2004.  60% were able to effectively read between a fourth and eighth grade level, and 8-10% were able to read no higher than a third grade level-- shocking statistics at such a academically prestigious university.  However, this isn't the first time that UNC has been investigated on similar issues.  A few years back, the school was accused of giving passing marks to student athletes who had, in fact, never attended the class or even turned in an assignment.

The university has now refused Willingham permission to report her findings to the media, and continues to question the integrity of her research.

Now, by no means are collegiate athletes who struggle in the field of academics an uncommon thing, but being unable to read just seems ludicrous.  In my opinion, collegiate student athletes should be required to retain a certain grade point average while keeping up with their studies, and their professors should be checked periodically, because after all, many of them will not pursue professional careers in the NFL, NBA, or MLB  This current event makes me wonder just how prepared the former student athletes, now turned businessmen and women, are to run our world today.




http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/07/us/ncaa-athletes-reading-scores/index.html


http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/01/20/u-north-carolina-shuts-down-whistle-blower-athletes