Letters

To the Editor:

I was disappointed to learn that the Arkansas state board of education has backed away from its "no pass, no play" policy ( "Arkansas Backs Off Extracurricular GPA Requirement," Oct. 1, 1997). Students who choose not to perform in the classroom should not be allowed to represent their school on stage or on the playing fields. They haven't earned the right. When we let athletes who don't maintain passing grades don school colors, we send the rest of the student body the message that performance in the classroom is peripheral. The principal might as well announce over the loudspeaker that learning is a campus activity and that capturing the spotlight is what really matters. Think about what our applause says to student actors who are floundering academically about how much...