2 11-12.Writing 1a. Write a Brief Text

A high school student is writing a letter to the chairman of the school board about a proposal to eliminate football in the school district. Read the paragraphs from the letter and complete the task that follows.

Dear Ms. Chairman:

With no football team to support, the morale of both the student body and the community would suffer. On game days, students proudly wear their school colors and attend pep rallies to support their team. Even though not all students are athletes, the student body as a whole gets wrapped up in the excitement of the game. Students and faculty alike are united behind their team. The football team also connects the school community to the larger town community. Not only parents, but other citizens attend football games. These adults may be graduates of the school or just enthusiastic fans of the team. Friday nights in the autumn would be very different if all these people did not have football games to attend.

In addition, football opens up opportunities for athletes. As members of a team, they learn communication skills and decision-making skills. Not only do they learn to communicate with each other, but they learn how to communicate within the school and local communities. As representatives of the team and the school, they often find themselves speaking about their team at public events or in press interviews. Moreover, the financial opportunities for these athletes cannot be overlooked. Those high school players who show promise can receive scholarships to continue their post-high school education without incurring debt.

Those who support the proposal to eliminate football point to the heat-related incidents and head injuries suffered by football players as reasons to ban the sport. However, schools are taking steps to minimize these dangers to the athletes. All football players are required to have physical examinations before each season, and summer practices are held early in the morning when the temperatures are coolest. Moreover, manufacturers continue to make helmets strong enough to withstand the impact involved in this contact sport. Everyone involved with football is working to make the sport as safe as possible.

Another reason that backers of this proposal raise is the cost of the football program. It is costly to equip each player with the uniform, pads, helmets, and shoes needed to participate in the game. However, there are ways for schools to raise money in the community to defray some of the costs of football. Many community members are football fans and are proud of their local school teams. Those in the community who are former players or parents of former or current players would likely provide financial support. Please consider the needs of the athletes both for school and community support and for financial opportunities to continue their education. Don’t take these benefits away from the athletes and the community.

Write an introduction to the letter that establishes and introduces a clear claim about the proposal to eliminate football in the school district. Type your answer in the space provided.

Explain how you answered this question and/or tell me what parts of this question or reading were confusing.