Homeschoolers Not Welcome at Spur MTB League

[Eldron]

So...we're on 144 posts. If the average post took 2 minutes to compile we're on 288 minutes.

 

That's just under 5 hours that could have been spent on lobbying:  http://www.spurmtbleague.co.za/contact/   

 

 

 

[DC-Diesel]

This is all very interesting.

However, the over-riding principal here is that a child is not being allowed to participate. What is the lesson that is being taught? Definitely not one of inclusion. Also, why is the word “school” in “home schooling”? A school is a source of knowledge (https://www.merriam-...ctionary/school).

Regarding the title sponsor. There is no issue with following up with a sponsor. Myles Mayhew has pointed out that the sponsor does not set the rules, but he in incorrect in his assessment. Sponsors do not only influence the rules, but also flex the rules to define outcomes. The T20 was all about the money, F1 – money, position, influence. Let’s not forget how long the FIA was “Ferrari International Assistance”.

The sponsors are there to market their brands. First and foremost. Spur cannot be seen to be discriminatory in any way. Should they agree with this very obvious discriminatory practice of preventing a child from participating, they may be incentivised to assist the league in updating their rather archaic stance to be more inclusive. After all, they would never deny a child from playing on the slide in their restaurant just because the parents prefer to eat fish .

Edited May 10, 2018 by Fat_Cyclist

[Eldron]

 

This is all very interesting.

However, the over-riding principal here is that a child is not being allowed to participate. What is the lesson that is being taught? Definitely not one of inclusion. Also, why is the word “school” in “home schooling”? A school is a source of knowledge (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/school).

Regarding the title sponsor. There is no issue with following up with a sponsor. Myles Mayhew has pointed out that the sponsor does not set the rules, but he in incorrect in his assessment. Sponsors do not only influence the rules, but also flex the rules to define outcomes. The T20 was all about the money, F1 – money, position, influence. Let’s not forget how long the FIA was “Ferrari International Assistance”.

The sponsors are there to market their brands. First and foremost. Spur cannot be seen to be discriminatory in any way. Should they agree with this very obvious discriminatory practice of preventing a child from participating, they may be incentivised to assist the league in updating their rather archaic stance to be more inclusive. After all, they would never deny a child from playing on the slide in their restaurant just because the parents prefer to eat fish .

 

 

Read this: http://www.spurmtble.../participation/

[Paddaman]

I have got lost on most of the thread here.  It seems that we have a loving parent that wants the best for his kid, even at the risk of disadvantaging someone else's kid and disrupting a fulling functioning system.

 

The hint that "homeschooled" kids and not "welcome" at the Spur interschool MTB league, is  cunningly hidden in the rules (which it seems most do not read), where its states that according to the law and rules homeschooling does not constitute a school.

 

This issue here is the league is to encourage participation and competition between schools, and not to be a free for all individual slugfest.  To suddenly allow unaffiliated children or even non school going children to compete undermines the purpose of the entire endevour.  So the "rights" of one will destroy the "rights"of many.

 

Also school sport structures is totally different from provincial sport structures.  School sport structures support the development of sport at schools where provincial structures focus on individual competition.

 

The bottom line is if you want to have your child involved in school sport events, then you need to send her/him to school.....

[Shaun Green]

This.

People please, be lekker.

Spur sponsor the race series.

They don't organise it, they don't make the rules, they give an agreed upon amount of money to the organization and in return they get their name in the title and other ways of exposure.

 

Surely Spur would only benefit from a positive outcome in all this?

[Gen]

Read this: http://www.spurmtble.../participation/

Gauteng and SA Schools Cycling should maybe get together and review their bylaws..

 

 

Home-school riders are permitted to participate in the following regions as per the agreed regional bylaws due to historical reasons and re-alignment of League structures: Eastern Cape (Port Elizabeth, East London), Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Free State, Southern Cape, Western Cape, Kwazulu Natal, Northern Cape

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Edited May 10, 2018 by Gen

[Traveler]

If we “work-around” rules or shake our fists at rules for long enough; will that also allow some sellers to change the prices of the bikes which are being advertised in the Classifieds because they did not research the prices of their bikes before placing them in the Classifieds?

 

The contact details for the management of SA School Cycling on a national and provincial basis is easy enough to obtain from the SA School Cycling website. I am sure that  144 e-mails from all disgruntled Hubbers would have had some sort of response already. Sharpen the axes, grab the pitch forks and torches, the contact details for the SA School Cycling provinces and national management is on the front page of their site. http://www.saschoolscycling.co.za/ 

Might be important to first read the rules as on the link shared by Eldron before you submit official complaints so that you can address the specific point of concern.   

Edited May 10, 2018 by Traveler

[Shaun Green]

In life we are required to make decisions ,each of these comes with consequences.

If you choose to homeschool your child it is your decision.but there will be consequences.

...

Respect Rules .

 

...

Dont blame the world , LIFE IS ABOUT CHOICES.

By all means encourage your daughters participation but in an arena were she meets the qualifying criteria.

This runs both ways. The choice of rules also has consequences. We are not suggesting that rules be broken or that riders disrespect the League. Only that respect be maintained in both directions. It is very easy to accomodate Homeschoolers within exsting School teams, even if they are required to join the nearest to where they live.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Gauteng and SA Schools Cycling should maybe get together and review their bylaws..

 

 

Home-school riders are permitted to participate in the following regions as per the agreed regional bylaws due to historical reasons and re-alignment of League structures: Eastern Cape (Port Elizabeth, East London), Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Free State, Southern Cape, Western Cape, Kwazulu Natal, Northern Cape

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

EXACTLY. 

 

Campaign to change the bylaws, by addressing the organiser in the relevant province. NOT Spur. 

[Eldron]

Gauteng and SA Schools Cycling should maybe get together and review their bylaws..

 

 

Home-school riders are permitted to participate in the following regions as per the agreed regional bylaws due to historical reasons and re-alignment of League structures: Eastern Cape (Port Elizabeth, East London), Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Free State, Southern Cape, Western Cape, Kwazulu Natal, Northern Cape

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

That's my thinking. Interested parties should be calling people to make this happen.

[Danger Dassie]

It's one of those things that seems to have been left to fester rather than being dealt with proactively. Result, the bubble over effect onto social media and forums which invariably ends up with an initial response of lowest common denominator arguments from all sides.

Conflating situations, accusations, semantics, bullying, entitlement... the whole potpourri, from all sides.

At the end level heads will/should prevail, but in many ways the damage will have been done and going forward means having to pick up a lot of pieces because of a seemingly unbending bureaucracy and unruly 'adults' ... anything but calm and sensible.

The basic premise is this;

 

Blaming and wanting to burn Spur is patently stupid and counter productive. Any rational human can understand that beyond our knee jerk reaction.

 

The rules as laid out are not clear, as mud perhaps and in some areas contradictory. In fact the majority of provinces have risen above red tape and acknowledged participation. Albeit with some penalty.

There is still no clear logical reasoning for excluding home schooled learners. 

Shaun Greene has provided sound and reasonable points for this and the response has pretty much been a stonewall or the same bullying attitude as those calling for boycott. 

The league series is about involving kids in an activity that is wholesome and positive, it's the adults ruining it, not the kids. 


*Disclaimer I don't have any children but I was a children

Edited May 10, 2018 by danger dassie

[Aurora]

I have to agree with most comments here, pointless going after the sponsors, they don't make the rules. Same as in any other sporting event or code, the laws are set by the organizers, the sponsors just help financially

[Eldron]

The hint that "homeschooled" kids and not "welcome" at the Spur interschool MTB league, is  cunningly hidden in the rules (which it seems most do not read), where its states that according to the law and rules homeschooling does not constitute a school.

 

 

They already allow home schooled kids to compete in some areas. It's in the rules.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

 

This is all very interesting.

However, the over-riding principal here is that a child is not being allowed to participate. What is the lesson that is being taught? Definitely not one of inclusion. Also, why is the word “school” in “home schooling”? A school is a source of knowledge (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/school).

Regarding the title sponsor. There is no issue with following up with a sponsor. Myles Mayhew has pointed out that the sponsor does not set the rules, but he in incorrect in his assessment. Sponsors do not only influence the rules, but also flex the rules to define outcomes. The T20 was all about the money, F1 – money, position, influence. Let’s not forget how long the FIA was “Ferrari International Assistance”.

The sponsors are there to market their brands. First and foremost. Spur cannot be seen to be discriminatory in any way. Should they agree with this very obvious discriminatory practice of preventing a child from participating, they may be incentivised to assist the league in updating their rather archaic stance to be more inclusive. After all, they would never deny a child from playing on the slide in their restaurant just because the parents prefer to eat fish .

 

I think you're confusing the word "sponsor" with the word "team". 

[Shaun Green]

And as the facts emerge, this baying mob who are signing petitions in a circle-jerk of self congratulatory righteous indigence screaming for Spur to fall will then turn and cry like babies when Spur bails on sponsoring kids MTB, decrying the lack of youth development in the sport.  You lot need to grow up.  Is there any mature and cognitive debate left in the world?

The petition is not asking Spur to drop their support. It is appealing to them to lead an opportunity that can easily benefit all parties (including the Spur brand).

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

They already allow home schooled kids to compete in some areas. It's in the rules.

This is precisely the point that should be used when challenging the bylaws set by (shock, horror) the regional organisers & body.