69´«Ă˝

Education

Sports

April 23, 2003 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Money Madness

In the big business that is college athletics, hands are forever under the table, it seems.

That is where cash, new cars, or a nice job for Mom are pulled out and passed with a wink to talented teenagers who can run fast and jump high.

One lawmaker in Alabama believes more can be done to stop such practices by targeting rogue “boosters"—individuals who, without a university’s approval, try to lure top high school athletes to campus with an array of enticements.

State Rep. Gerald Allen, a Democrat from Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama, has proposed a bill that would make it a crime for a booster to pay a high school athlete in order to influence where he or she goes to college. A companion bill that he sponsored would make it illegal as well for a high school coach to accept money with the intention of influencing a student athlete’s college choice.

Mr. Allen said the negative influence some boosters have had recently in college sports inspired him to file the legislation.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association in February placed Alabama on a five-year probation after an investigation found that, among other infractions, two boosters for the university’s football program had given one recruit $20,000 in cash, and that a high school coach had received cash and had sought two sport utility vehicles in exchange for pushing a star recruit to the university.

Scandals have also surfaced in other states. Last November, the University of Michigan announced sanctions against its basketball program after an internal investigation found that a booster had provided more than $600,000 to four former players.

“We would like to be able to send a strong message out to sports boosters to remind them that when they get involved with schools, or pressure coaches or individuals to do unethical things, that this is something we don’t want to see happen,” Rep. Allen said.

“Here in Alabama, we have a rich tradition that was tarnished because of self-centered individuals who thought they were untouchable,” he said. “We want to pass legislation that lets alumni and boosters know that we have to be a part of protecting the overall integrity of the schools.”

Similar bills proposed by Rep. Allen and other Alabama legislators have failed before, though the recent controversy could make approval more likely this time. A Georgia lawmaker, meanwhile, has introduced legislation that would penalize boosters with jail time and fines if they violated NCAA rules while recruiting high school athletes.

The bills in Alabama have cleared committee and will now go to the full House.

—John Gehring

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: October 2, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: September 18, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 28, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read