Why is so much government money spent on sports, instead of improving education?

Question

Why aren't school sports privately funded, as in the past, when the money can be used to provide a better education for tax-paying citizens?

Answer 1

The same reason football and basketball players make way more money than teachers......we simply do not have our priorities in the right place and we place more emphasis and important on things like sports and entertainment than education

Answer 2

sports earns money for the government, as it takes

Answer 3

Too many people in positions of influence have other ideas about how your tax dollars ought to be spent.

Lots of these folks have a say in how tax dollars get spent , and they get their palms greased and their pockets lined by other folks who would benefit from all kinds of ridiculous programs.

The vast majority of wasteful government spending is due to corruption and greed.Too many people in the "business" of taking care of their constituent's concerns are looking out for their own interests , and little else.

Write your local school board , or county council person , or maybe even your Congressperson or State Representative.

Let them know that you have valid concerns about where your tax dollars are going , and that you will vote accordingly come the next election.

Better yet...run for a local office on the platform of fiscal change and responsibility.You might just wake up the people in your own community.Great place to start!

Answer 4

Because their children do not go to public schools....there for they don't care

Answer 5

because they want people to loose weight  

Answer 6

Because you have to spend money to make money.  The government expects a turn out of the promotion of sports.  If they put that money into schools, they will not make it back plus some.

This is why, after the start of No Child Left Behind, many people are starting to take hold of the idea that public schools should be ran like giant organizations with a money turn.

Answer 7

cuz the government dunno need clever people !

it's a threat for them

Answer 8

if students are playing sports, they aren't stabbing other students with knives and such.  it's a safety issue.

Answer 9

You did not clarify which country you are referring to, or whether you meant the Federal gov't (an understandable issue given that the Olympics start this Friday) or state/local gov'ts.  As such, my answer assumes the USA and both Fed & state/local gov'ts.

Compared to virtually every other country, the US Federal Gov't  spends virtually nothing on sports, per se, except when it comes to Congressional inquiries into illegal sports wagering, price-fixing, monopolies, steroid and other drug use, etc. The US Federal Gov't spends nothing on the Olympics; the US Olympic teams rely solely on private funding (i.e., corporate sponsorship and individual gifts/donations). State and local gov'ts are expected to pay the majority of public school education - - including sports - - through local taxes and budgets, because that's what the people have agreed to, per various referenda, ballots, PTA meetings, etc.

As far as your statement "as in the past" is concerned, you'll have to explain it, as that could mean anything from last year to last century, not to mention where you live, so that we would know if your community does something different from everyone else's.  However, generally speaking, much of public school funding for sports comes from sponsors, which is the reason you might see local retailers' names plastered all over your local school's sports arena) and/or parents and students taking the initiative (with the school's approval, of course!) to do their own funding events, such as bake sales, for various reasons: new art supplies; gas for the band to get to their opponents' schools; new sports equipment, etc.  On a personal note, many, many, years ago, I was the Treasurer for a small town's grass roots tennis committee, which sponsored an effort to reconstruct the high school's deteriorated tennis courts, which were so bad, that they were condemned by the local authorities (we're talking cracks everywhere, some as deep as a foot!). Through a year's worth of various, hard-run, fund-raising efforts, we managed to get $5,000 of the (then) $10,000 needed to rebuild the 3 courts, fencing, etc (we got a substantial discount from a local construction firm). The remaining $5,000 came from a local whose granddaughter was on the team, but, bless his heart, he wanted the gift to be anonymous. That's the way it's supposed to work when gov't funding isn't available.

In conclusion, neither your question nor details are valid, except, possibly, for your local community, which, again, you didn't indicate, so I can't respond to that, specifically, except to say, that if you're that dispirited about the lack of spirit in your hometown's sports, then don't sit there asking specious questions on a website! Go out and get involved! Attend local PTA meetings (you don't have to be a parent or a teacher; students and even childless adults are more than welcome at most such meetings)! Ask teachers (not just Phys Ed!) how you can help!

Answer 10

because sports bring more money to the country so that it can be use on things like education  

Answer 11

Because sports bring in money. and the government doesn't care about education, they already have theirs. Although they should care, they seem not too. maybe there would be less crime if they put more money into education, and stop putting money into adding more jail cells.

Answer 12

because sports helps make money and schooling doesnt plus more ppl like sports then school... iknow its sad but its the truth

Answer 13

BEcause they are ka-ka headds