An op-ed piece in The Chronicle of Higher Education argues that student-athletes playing football on scholarship at colleges and universities across the US are victims of “wage theft.” The authors maintain that the demands placed on these players are so great and time-intensive that the students are unable to take advantage of the educational experience their schools offer. And because one of the typical lures used to recruit scholarship athletes is the quality of the school's academics, structuring the athletes' school lives so that they are unable to enjoy those educational opportunities is a form of wage theft.

It can be challenging to be a student athlete. The dual demands of your sport and your education are intense; you're expected to live up to your coaches' expectations and also need to meet certain academic standards if you are to remain eligible to play. That's why if your GPA is threatened by an allegation that you've violated your school's academic honor code or if you're facing school discipline because of a claim you've committed misconduct, you need the help of an experienced student defense attorney. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is here to help; call us at 888.535.3686, or use our online contact form to schedule a confidential consultation to learn more about how we can keep you on track to both play the sport you love and to graduate.

The Authors' Research and Arguments

In the op-ed titled “College Athletes Are Being Robbed of an Education,” the authors report interviewing more than 25 former “big-time college football players,” most of them, according to the piece, from “power four institutions.” (The Power Four are four major football conferences: the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12, and Southeastern conferences.) The authors argue that, in large part because of the time demands placed on the players by their sport, the “compensatory education” they received “is vastly inferior to the version offered to other college students.” And because the free education offered by the schools is part of the incentive designed to attract the players in the first place, the fact that it is “deficient” when compared to the education non-playing students are receiving means that that “players are in fact being subjected to a systematic form of wage theft.”

The Intense Time Demands of Big-Time College Football

The authors provide anecdotes from a number of players to support their argument. Generally speaking, practice schedules often interfere with classes; it's difficult to register for an afternoon class, for example, when it conflicts with afternoon practice. Other educational opportunities, such as internships or semesters abroad, are generally unavailable to student-athletes who must train year-round to stay in the kind of physical condition that football demands.

As a result, the authors say, players are encouraged to settle for “easier” college majors and have less time to spend on academic pursuits. As a result, the authors argue that for scholarship players, “under the current professionalized college-sport regime, it is simply not possible to receive a college education.”

The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team Can Help if Your Scholarship is at Risk

The op-ed highlights the pressures that big-time college athletes are under, both to perform as athletes and to remain eligible to compete under NCAA and school rules. That's why if you're an athlete who has been accused of academic or any other kind of misconduct (including Title IX violations), you need the help of an experienced student defense attorney. You have so much to lose if you lose your eligibility because of a misconduct finding that you shouldn't try to defend yourself in these kinds of situations.

The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team has defended thousands of college students accused of academic and other types of misconduct by their schools. We understand the rules, regulations, and procedures used by schools to discipline students, and we're here to fight for your rights and defend you against allegations that could bring both your athletic and academic careers to a halt. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888.535.3686 or use our contact form to schedule a confidential consultation. You have worked so hard to get to where you are; let us help you protect your education and your future!