Calling Po Monkey Lounger

[Deltamud77]

If he were blind but could read braille I say let him in, if not send him to a vocational school. Just kidding, sort of.

It is an interesting problem with reference to football. If he were great at baseball, he would go straight to the pros. Like it or not, to be a professional football player in the NFL, the most realistic path is to be a student athlete before you can be an pro athlete.

Realistically, it is hard to imagine an illiterate person being a student athlete, or a student at a college for that matter. How can he pass?

There is no doubt it is a bad situation and I think most feel for the guy, because the majority of the fault probably does not rest on his shoulders. However, if Ole Miss lets him in after the mother openly admits he is illiterate, it could be strongly argued they should be precluded from denying the acceptance to any other student based on their high school transcript in the future. I understand he has "met the requirements", but if he is illiterate, that has to raise some eyebrows.

Heck, I don't know how I feel about it. The argument for letting him in is that he has met the academic requirements. The argument against is how did he meet those requirements if he cannot read and furthermore, how will he pass once in school? It is a screwy situation and more importantly a sad commentary on our society as a whole. I bet no one at any SEC school has gone to bat for a child like this with a learning ability to gain acceptance to a school if that child cannot play ball really well.

On an additional note, as always, money has to be involved on some level. Powe, being a dynamic player, will make Ole Miss better. Everybody loves a winner. Winning teams produce larger revenue, revenue for the school. Will the average non-athlete student produce any money for the school aside from tuition? Probably not. Will Powe? Who knows, but he is more likely to than Joe Fraternity at the Sigma Chi house. Interesting and perhaps irrelevant.

[bigoak]

Blind??? The blind people I have known seem to work twice as hard knowing that they have a disability they must overcome with the use of other skills. Not true in this case.

Did he really EXPECT to get into college?

I believe everyone has a duty to prepare himself for life. I find it very hard to believe he has gone through life believing he could prosper without the fundamental knowledge that he obviously lacks. As a taxpayer that helps fund "the system," I refuse to accept any blame.

You do not seem to be able to grasp the fact that Jerrell Powe has been diagnosed with a learning disability. I believe he has been diagnosed with dislexia. He has been in special ed since elementary school. You seem to think that he is just lazy and decided in first grade that he would not learn how to read. You say blind people overcome their disability with the use of other skills. Jerrell Powe is attempting to overcome his learning disability with other skills as well, athletic skill. In order for him to overcome his disability by playing football he needs to make it to the NFL. The NFL will not accept him straight out of high school so he is attempting to get into college so he can some day play professional football. You say he does not belong in college. Maybe you are right but if he does not belong in college then where does he belong? Please give us your solution for what kids with learning disabilities should do with themselves? Because there are thousands of them out there that need to know since they do not belong in college?

[Po Monkey Lounger]

All of you are taking the mother's comments out of context. Powe CAN read and write. He has dyslexia. Thus, he cannot read as well as normal folks can at his age. And, due to the inferior special ed programs in our public schools in MS, he probably does not read yet as well as he is capable of reading with more specialized work.

He could not have made it through a year at Hargrave if he was "illiterate".

The ADA requires reasonable accomodations for such learning disabled persons ---in this case a student.

If Powe were a tuba player coming to UM on a band scholarship, he would already have been admitted to UM , enrolled in classes, and receiving whatever help he needed to accomodate him due to his disability ---like many students at colleges all over the country. But, since he is not a tuba player, but a football player, we have to deny him admission on scholarship?? This does not make any sense and is, IMO, illegal ---it is EXACTLY the scenario that the ADA was passed to prevent. IF the NCAA does not approve Powe, this case will go down as a MAJOR embarassment and black eye for the NCAA.

One of my college roomates during law school had dyslexia and was a law school student. He had to study twice as much as the rest of us did, but he overcame that hurdle and graduated. Special accomodations had to made for him re the Bar Exam --- taking it untimed. He is doing well in life and his career. And he was very fortunate to have had parents who could afford the necessary medical, tutoring, and educational help he needed when he was attending high school.

Enough of the over-exaggeration about this kid. There are some who post on this board that I have serious doubts about their reading and writing skills.

[stang67]

My bad. Points taken. Have a good weekend, everyone!

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Agreement Reached to Admit Powe As Part-Time Student
Courtesy: University of Mississippi
Release: 09/01/2006


The University of Mississippi agreed Friday to temporarily admit Jerrell Powe as a part-time student until the question of his eligibility finally can be determined by the NCAA or the courts.
The agreement was reached after lengthy discussions between attorneys for Powe, the university and the NCAA. Powe will not participate in the football program at this time, but will be a part-time student enrolled for less than 12 credit hours on the Oxford campus.
"We have all worked together to assure that Jerrell Powe's interests are protected," said university attorney Lee Tyner. "By admitting him part-time, his long-term status is protected until a final determination of his eligibility can be made."
Friday was the deadline for enrolling in fall semester classes and Powe's attorneys had received a court order requiring the university to admit him. The court order was lifted Friday afternoon when all sides agreed to the plan and Powe was enrolled for classes.
"From the beginning, Jerrell’s desire has been to be a student and play football at Ole Miss. This agreement brings him a step closer to fulfilling his dream for the time being, until all the issues are resolved," said Powe’s attorney DeWayne Thomas.
The NCAA ruled last week that Powe was ineligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics. The ruling resulted in a lawsuit filed Thursday on Powe's behalf to force the university to admit him and the NCAA to authorize him to play.
The university has appealed the NCAA decision and the appeal is expected to be considered by an NCAA review panel Sept. 7.
“This agreement allows the NCAA process to move forward, and for all information to be considered before the courts become involved,” said NCAA attorney Linda Salfrank.
"In the meantime, Jerrell can continue his education while the issue of his athletics eligibility is resolved, whether by the NCAA or the courts," said Tyner.