Higher Education

As cliché as this may sound, I think the “Higher Education” article is a prime example of how one person truly can make a difference. At the beginning of the article, I had no idea where the story would lead. I was shocked when I realized that the racism first portrayed took place in only the 80’s, a time when racism was supposed to be diminished. It is hard to believe how far we have come since that time, with a black President now presiding over the United States. However, traces of prejudice, including racism, definitely still remain throughout society today. The story of Ohio’s Amish country being forever changed by one black man is both inspiring and heart wrenching, as his impact and then death gives hope to so many and leaves a gaping hole with his passing. His life not only changed the players he coached and students he taught, but also their families and all those who heard about Perry Reese Jr. In education today, there is so much “red tape” and rules that one in authority must follow in order to remain appropriate, politically correct, and safe. I firmly believe that some of these “red tape” sort of rules should be eliminated, as there are many who teach and coach to change lives, like Perry Reese Jr. It would be hard to come across an area where kids could stay at their coaches house, eat dinner with them at sports bars after practice, or just simply have meaningful conversation with them, without it being considered inappropriate. By prohibiting this for the necessary safety of our children, we may also be prohibiting what Coach Perry Reese Jr. preached, possibility.