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karodrinker
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 29, 2010 - 03:32pm PT
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Baseball, Soccer, Basketball, why no love for the skaters? Why make the pursuers of this intricate balance game feel like outlaws? I love to skate, and I think so do a handful of kids at every high school in America. Support would make them feel included. I propose that a mini-ramp (3-4 feet high, 16 ft wide 21 feet long) at a MINIMUM should be installed at all middle and high schools.
I know this is a climbers forum, but I know that many here are older with kids who probably skate.
Skateboarding does not have to be rebellious. It's really very hard to do! Give the Skaters some Love!
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Aug 29, 2010 - 04:09pm PT
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We need more kids who know basic trig identities, not more kids with mad skatin' skilz.
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Port
Trad climber
San Diego
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Aug 29, 2010 - 04:14pm PT
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It only took a single post to generate someone hating it....
Props to your kid, its awesome to see young girls pursuing skateboarding.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Aug 29, 2010 - 04:22pm PT
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We need more kids who know basic trig identities, not more kids with mad skatin' skilz.
Maybe both?
I always thought Juvenal had it right: "Mens sana in corpore sano"
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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Aug 29, 2010 - 04:34pm PT
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It took me a long time to understand the idiom on those bumper stickers:
"Skate boarding is not a crime!"
(I am a little slow)
Even though I don't skate over the years I have become a huge sympathizer.
Although I understand that it takes time for any new or radical sport to gain recognition, what's the deal with skating? Skating is as American as Slinkys, Doughnuts and the 67' Chevy Camaro! Why all the resistance or even down right repression of the sport.
Watch 'Fuel TV' what do you see? Skating isn't shuffle board. It is a huge industry that almost every young person comes in contact with no matter where they live geographically. For action sports skating is right up there with the best and above the rest.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 29, 2010 - 04:59pm PT
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Climbing walls first (with Wyde, of course) then skate ramps
Then, pool tables
No kid left without a trade!
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karodrinker
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 29, 2010 - 05:29pm PT
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I love building ramps. They become functional art. Sick boardslide Wes.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Aug 29, 2010 - 05:44pm PT
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karodrinker...excellent idea...get the brats into skating so the crags won't be overcrowded...rj
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karodrinker
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 29, 2010 - 05:58pm PT
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rj, fact is that outdoor climbing is out of reach for kids without money and cars. Give a kid a skateboard and they will find something to ride on. Luckily we in the bay area have kick ass skateparks. Mini ramps at the middle school level, at the school for the kids to play on at recess and after class, would usher in a new era of mega rippers.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Aug 29, 2010 - 06:03pm PT
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why can't you taco heads agree with me for once? rj
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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Aug 29, 2010 - 10:07pm PT
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nothing against skating...
I would like to see them get books.
or toilet paper.
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Aug 29, 2010 - 10:50pm PT
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MATH LIBRARIES AT EVERY SCHOOL
Baseball, Soccer, Basketball, why no love for the math kids? Why make the pursuers of this intricate intellectual game feel like outcasts? I love mathematics, and I think so do a handful of kids at every high school in America. Support would make them feel included. I propose that a mini-math library (8-10 feet high, 16 ft wide 21 feet long) at a MINIMUM should be installed at all middle and high schools.
I know this is a climbers forum, but I hope that a few here are older with kids who might be interested in math if they had the chance.
Mathematics does not have to be nerdy. It's really very hard to do! Give the those math kids some Love!
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Aug 29, 2010 - 10:57pm PT
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I think skateboarding is great. Many inner city and small town kids have nothing else to but get into trouble. Skating is a outlet, its cheap, fun, and gives kids a focus. Nothing is wrong with math, but kids aren't going to focus on math, got to keep it real. Hood River, Oregon built a fantastic skate part for the kids and it is the hangout. My business just donated $1000 to build a new skate park in my town across the river from Hood River. I can't skateboard but I can appreciate kids who do. Skateboarding is not a crime but many of the things that kids get into when they have nothing to expend their energies and talents are.
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Jim Wilcox
Boulder climber
Santa Barbara
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Aug 29, 2010 - 11:38pm PT
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I think the skateparks are awesome. Municipalties definitely
need to build more.
Academics and athletics are two seperate,but equally important concerns.
But with the increasing obesity issues with young kids in the U.S. I think more kids should learn how to shred.
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WBraun
climber
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Aug 29, 2010 - 11:40pm PT
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In my next life I will so try much harder to skateboard into rgold's classroom to become better mathematician .......
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Nohea
Trad climber
Sunny Aiea,Hi
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Aug 30, 2010 - 12:22am PT
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I got a few kids who board to school, a couple asked if they could leave the board in my room during the day so I let them, once I tried cruising down the "hall" and nearly broke my ass, I lost a little skill over the past 30 years!
agreed on the math skilz!
Aloha,
wil
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Aug 30, 2010 - 12:34am PT
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Werner, thanks for the other-worldly vote of confidence. I can only hope that my classroom does not prematurely send anyone off to the next life.
Wes, I guess we could survey the skaters to see how much math they've learned from those dual curve transition mini-ramps.
Maybe wait until they've recovered from their concussions?
But my post was more or less a word-for-word parody of the OP's, and so not to be taken seriously. The points were supposed to be
1. There are lots of hard interesting things kids can do; this does not mean the schools need to install a special place for each of them.
2. If we are going to start choosing how to spend grouchy-taxpayer money to further the life prospects of our youth, we might have a look at a range of things besides skateboard ramps.
I have nothing against skaters, ramps, mathematicians who skate, or (just in case there is any difference) skaters who are mathematicians.
Just for the record.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Aug 30, 2010 - 01:05am PT
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I think it's a fine idea...
except as mentioned getting past the tax payers might be a challenge especially since so many schools basic needs are not being met and basic needs come first in my mind. These include hiring and keeping quality teachers, keeping Art in the schools alive, having full-time librarians with plenty of books, student-teacher ratios that make sense...and the list goes on...
The cool thing though is that ramps and such can be built with not much $ (at least basic ones...).
Maybe there are some parents out there that could volunteer some time and/or material/work to make it happen in their kids' school.
At schools I've worked at if (as parents and teachers...I am both) we really wanted something like this to happen we worked to make it happen, not always successful, but many times we were.
Just a thought...
Cheers,
DD
ps and FWIW, my principal and I built a climbing wall in my classroom one time. Parents chipped in some $ and he and I did the work.
Kids painted the wall (Mt. Shasta and surroundings-it was really cool).
They'd use it when it was rainy/snowy out or as a choice when they finished their other work.
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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Aug 30, 2010 - 01:09am PT
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the other problem is the kid who wipes out and the parents sue the school district. A quick end to the skate park.
BTW in my area quite few elementary schools have small climbing walls.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Aug 30, 2010 - 01:11am PT
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It's very important that kids have every opportunity to learn, and to get exercise. The prime function of schools is learning, though - kids can get exercise and fresh air in all sorts of non-school contexts, or contexts only somewhat related to school. Whereas school is their main opportunity for structured academic learning.
Learning first at schools, with the whole child and exercise not forgotten.
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