Extra Credit

The idea that the educated male is disappearing in today’s society is well supported in the article, “The Crisis of the Disappearing Educated Male” written by Janice Shaw Crouse. Crouse talks about how active boys are at a disadvantage because so many schools are cutting funding for recess and physical education. These active boys have no outlet for their energy, so it then becomes a problem in the classroom. This is continuing on into college because of the Title IX being put into effect. Title IX is the equal education act. It states that both men and women will have equal opportunities for education. This has caused many universities to cut their men’s sport teams, over 400 teams according to the article, in order to fund more women’s teams. In my home state of Maryland the sports programs are suffering. The University of Maryland is planning to cut eight of their sports teams in July. Unfortunately for the young men who are attending or planning to attend the University of Maryland five of those eight teams are men’s teams. Although one of the reasons for cutting these teams is the university’s financial situation I believe there are other options. Intermural sports are an inexpensive option that could be made available to the students (especially the males) affected by these teams being cut. A lot of young men attend college with the hopes of playing on a sports team, if there is no sports team to play on then they may just quit.

 Additionally, in my short time as a college student I have already seen the amount of men attending their classes decrease. The attitude of being “too cool” to study or go to class is very prevalent among young men in college. I know many of the young men I know here at West Virginia University hold being viewed as manly and cool as more important than studying and getting good grades. I believe that there is a solution to this problem. The role models that many young men have today are professional athletes, and many of these men did not go to or did not finish college. If professional sports leagues made it a requirement for their athletes to graduate college with a certain GPA I believe that the young men who idolize these men would try to do the same. Also, if these professional athletes promoted getting a college education and showed it as being manly and cool many young men might begin to agree. This does not only apply to professional athletes, but any public male figure who could influence the attitudes young men have towards college.

Works Cited:

 1.) Crouse, Janice Shaw. "The Crisis of the Disappearing Educated Male." American Thinker. The American Thinker, 28 May 2009. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. <http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/05/the_crisis_of_the_disappearing.html>.

2.) Stevens, Patrick. "Maryland Could Cut 8 Sports in July - Washington Times." The Washington Times. The Washington Times, 14 Nov. 2011. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/nov/14/maryland-could-cut-8-sports-in-july/?page=all>.