Put me in server admin, I wanna play.

Gooberman · Post by **Gooberman** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 11:35 pm

My best friends nephew is still in High School.

His grades were always just so so, more so bad. I saw him the other night, and he told me that his school now has a video game Club. To be a part of any club in High School you have to maintain a D average. So this made me glad.

What was more surprising is in this 4A school they already have 120 members in this club, and a few rooms dedicated after school to MoA, WC3, and such. (The gaming always takes place after school). I want to join but I am too old

.

Anyway, the controversial part is there is this huge conservative parent group that is arguing that there is no place for video games in High School. That the High School should not support these Violent Video games, they bring out aggressions, etc, and that the club needs to be shut down. I get a feeling that we will be seeing a story similar to this on Bill O'reilly soon

So I guess the question is, do you think these types of clubs should be allowed? I could see this getting huge in the future. Having gaming teams that travel from school to school similar to basketball or football.

The interest on the students part is definitely there: 120 members for a 4a school is pretty damn good.

And if it means that they pass their classes, then I'm all for using this leverage.

Top Gun · Post by **Top Gun** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 12:07 am

Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

And I'm about as conservative as they come.

Kyouryuu · Post by **Kyouryuu** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 12:09 am

I suppose the cynics would rather have the kids walking the streets getting in trouble, or coming home to empty houses because both parents work. Cynics be damned, gaming is an integral social activity today and I see no reason why a group like this should be disbanded.

But you just watch. All it takes is a few bigmouthed pansies to ruin the fun of many.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 12:10 am

dude, join up as an advisor. i'm sure they'd appreciate the help.

"Anyway, the controversial part is there is this huge conservative parent group that is arguing that there is no place for video games in High School. That the High School should not support these Violent Video games, they bring out aggressions, etc, and that the club needs to be shut down."

hahahaha, i haven't heard anything more rediculous before in my life. They should look at floor hockey if they want to find something that brings out aggression. like what do they wanna do to squash aggression.. give them drugs.. er, antidepressants and ADHD pills?

Tyranny · Post by **Tyranny** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 2:23 am

Even if they prevented the club from being an "official" thing they really can't stop them from having a LAN as a group in school. Btw, just for clarity, since when are those games mentioned THAT violent?

Hell, at lunchtime in high school we all used to pack into one of the puter rooms and play Q2 & Q3 while downing a slice of pizza & inhaling a dr.pepper. Thats far more violent then playing War3. MoA is a little different but who really cares? Didn't hurt any of us any and I have yet to see one of my old friends on the local news being convicted of murder or a violent crime

There isn't anything bad about having a video game club. You could make a complete 6 volume set on just the positives of having such a thing. Shouldn't that mean more then the 3 or 4 reasons some people seem to come up with on why they shouldn't be allowed to have one?

Can't these people find anything better to do then go after retarded stuff like this?

Avder · Post by **Avder** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 7:28 am

Ferno wrote:like what do they wanna do to squash aggression.. give them drugs.. er, antidepressants and ADHD pills?

Thats what my family did to me when I was about 12...completely changed me forever. I went from an energetic, playful, funloving child to a tired, no-energy depressed lump in no time. Any parent who puts their kid on these drugs without trying EVERYTHING first is doing a complete dis-service to their child.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 8:18 am

When older people don't understand something, they tend to run away in fear.

Case in point: "That Led Zeppelin is the devil's music!"

My guess is that these people aren't hypocrites though; i.e. most of them aren't letting their kids watch gratuitous sex/violence/drugs on TV or in the movie theater. Regardless, I say to the parents, grow up.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:44 am

You only need a D average to stay in a club? Who ever approved that policy should be fired. Parents groups should be up in arms over that, not that there is a video game club. How about we actually set some standards.

Stryker · Post by **Stryker** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:39 am

With the way schools screw over their grading system, one would think it should be AT MINIMUM a B+ average. Heck if I don't get above a 90% on my daily math, I'm kicked off the computer.

That said, the idea of a video game club rocks. I'm a hardcore conservative Christian--and I see absolutely nothing wrong with this. I mean, sure, they'll see violence--but who doesn't these days? Like it has been said before, it's keeping these kids off the streets where they might commit real violence.

Foil · Post by **Foil** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 1:52 pm

Absolutely, yes.

And I agree with Stryker. A "just barely passing" grade should not be rewarded with the opportunity to participate.

Having been a public high school teacher for a brief period, I would have loved to get something similar for my students. Heck, I would have almost volunteered, just to get the chance to be involved.

My only thought is: how are the schools funding this? If it's growing so much, the school would have to either increase the computer budget significantly, or move funding from another part of the budget. I can't see many school districts (especially low-income urban areas like where I taught) getting approval for a project that big.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 2:35 pm

exactly Avder. it's all bullcrap and if anyone tells you different, they're stupid and blind.

T-Devil · Post by **T-Devil** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:46 pm

How's this any different from the D&D club we had when I was in HS?

Effin' parents. Leave the kids alone, teach them right from wrong and fantasy from reality and they may just turn out alright in the end.

Beowulf · Post by **Beowulf** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 12:53 am

They have one of these at my school. Its actually just called "computer club" because they're not techincally supposed to be playing games like Counterstrike and Halo and stuff but they do anyway. They play a bunch of games; they have the data projectors set up with ps2s and play dance dance revolution on the giant projector screens

But at least it keeps kids involved and out of trouble and in a social environment that is suporvised. 9 times out of 10 the kids would go home and play video games anyway; at least this way theyr're with their buds and not gettin into trouble. There's nothing wrong with it; stupid self righteous c0cksuckers always ruin everyone elses shiz.

woodchip · Post by **woodchip** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 8:20 am

So football isn't violent? Might want to tell the parents that playing games in ctf mode develops teamwork, strategy and good hand/eye coordination.

Iceman · Post by **Iceman** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:45 pm

Top Gun wrote:Yes, yes, yes, and yes. And I'm about as conservative as they come.

woodchip wrote:So football isn't violent? Might want to tell the parents that playing games in ctf mode develops teamwork, strategy and good hand/eye coordination.

I am more middle of the road but I agree totally.

Asrale · Post by **Asrale** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 3:44 pm

Raise that grade average to a B! Get the smarter kids in that club! And let the losers and other assorted flunkies go out in the streets and make REAL violence!

Iceman · Post by **Iceman** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 4:22 pm

I agree, a D is really a weak criteria to use. I say that if they make B or better they should be given very liberal use of the games.

Gooberman · Post by **Gooberman** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 5:07 pm

I think Asrale was being sarcastic. If he is I couldn't agree more.

I am glad that it is a D average. I care more about turning F students into passing students whom will now get their high school diploma: then turning C students into B students.

One is meaningful; the other is almost completely empty in the long run. Anyone who believes that raising the bar to a B would cause the F students to work hard enough to get B's: hasn't known or taught very many F students. It is a nice idea, but lacks reality.

This is analogous to football. If you had to get a B average to play: alot of high schools would be fielding 120lb linemen.

There is raising the bar, and there is also beating them over the head with it. The motivation required to turn an F student into a B student could only come from their parents and themselves: video games/exterior motivation can only slightly raise the tide.

Tyranny · Post by **Tyranny** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 6:10 pm

I was just going to say that there are plenty of other school activities that require a higher grade to join. A video game club mostly would consist of several types of people. Your computer nerd type person who most likely receives A or B grades to begin with.

The other type is the person who could easily maintain A's or B's but is a complete underachiever due to his "social" status. Which is basically the group I fell under in school. Got high scores on most of my tests but didn't give a shiat about homework and just wanted to play video games or draw

Last I checked, D IS passing. If it wasn't for that I probably would have wanted some sort of extracurricular activity to motivate my schoolwork habits because I never would have made it out of High School otherwise. I simply just didn't give a rats ass.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 6:47 pm

"Got high scores on most of my tests but didn't give a shiat about homework and just wanted to play video games or draw."

oh nose! you're ADHD!

but anyways, I pretty much led the same kinda school life you did Tyr. only difference is they figured that I would do better if I wasn't rewarded. it didn't work. heh!

Personally I would like to see a C average. just a little push in the right direction is all that's really needed.

Zoop! · Post by **Zoop!** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 8:18 pm

Tyranny wrote:Last I checked, D IS passing.

Yeah, but to graduate, don't you need a 2.0 GPA / "C" average? IF that's the case, make the bare requirement a "B" average to push the students. If they can do that, let them play video games all they want.

Gooberman · Post by **Gooberman** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 8:54 pm

Yeah, but to graduate, don't you need a 2.0 GPA / "C" average?

Not here. It could very from state to state, or even district to district. But out here "D is for diploma".

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:12 pm

I agree: C average, but maybe limiting extracurriculars. For example, membership in 2 clubs or 1 organized sport. C isn't barely scraping by, but solid enough. B or above means unlimited participation in extracurriculars.

roid · Post by **roid** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 5:29 am

Ferno wrote:dude, join up as an advisor. i'm sure they'd appreciate the help.

do it goob