Student Well-Being Blog

Schooled in Sports

Education Week contributing writer Bryan Toporek brought you K-12 sports coverage that reached far beyond box scores. He wrote about education for Education Week and Education Week Teacher, high school sports for the Falls Church News-Press in Virginia, and was a Quality Editor for Bleacher Report. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: sports.

Student Well-Being Children's Concussion Rates May Be Wildly Underestimated in U.S.
A vast majority of children with concussions go to primary care doctors rather than the emergency department, which may lead to youth-concussion rates being drastically underestimated.
Bryan Toporek, June 27, 2016
2 min read
Student Well-Being Florida Adopts Limit on Full-Contact High School Football Practices
Beginning this fall, high school football players in Florida will be limited to no more than 80 minutes of live contact in practices per week during the regular season.
Bryan Toporek, June 9, 2016
2 min read
School Climate & Safety Pennsylvania to Enact Anti-Hazing Legislation for Secondary Schools
The bill would require all secondary schools to adopt a written anti-hazing policy, distribute it to all coaches, and post it on their websites.
Bryan Toporek, May 24, 2016
2 min read
Variety of Sports Balls including Basketball, Soccer, Football, Volley Ball, Baseball, Softball, Tennis, and Golf
Jupiterimages/Getty Images Plus
Student Well-Being Heisman Trophy Winner Sings Praises of Quality Phys. Ed.
Herschel Walker, the winner of the 1982 Heisman Trophy, described physical education as his "saving grace" while growing up.
Bryan Toporek, May 19, 2016
3 min read
Student Well-Being Professor Proposes Endorsement Model for Collegiate Student-Athletes
The proposed model would alter the National Collegiate Athletic Association's restrictions on collegiate student-athletes receiving compensation for usage of their names, images and likenesses.
Bryan Toporek, May 13, 2016
3 min read
School Climate & Safety Texas Voters Approve Bond to Build $62.8 Million H.S. Football Stadium
Four years after the $60 million stadium for Allen (Texas) High School opened, voters in McKinney, Texas, ensured yet another multimillion-dollar coliseum will be coming to the Lone Star State.
Bryan Toporek, May 11, 2016
2 min read
Law & Courts U.S. Supreme Court Takes Up Case Over Cheerleader-Uniform Design
The battle stems from Varsity Brands' efforts to gain copyright protection for the design of stripes, chevrons, zigzags, and color blocks that are on its uniforms.
Mark Walsh, May 6, 2016
3 min read
Student Well-Being Youth Football Players May Suffer Long-Term Brain Damage After One Season
Repeated hits to the head during the course of a season may result in long-term brain damage for youth football players even if they don't suffer concussions.
Bryan Toporek, May 5, 2016
2 min read
Third grader Elyse Vinton hangs upside down during recess at Eastridge Elementary School in Lincoln, Neb., where schools are now required to report on their progress on student-health-related measures, including the time allotted for recess.
Third grader Elyse Vinton hangs upside down during recess at Eastridge Elementary School in Lincoln, Neb., where schools are now required to report on their progress on student-health-related measures, including the time allotted for recess.
Andrew Dickinson for Education Week
Student Well-Being Schools Continue to Lag Behind Recommendations for Phys. Ed. Time
Only Iowa and the District of Columbia require the amount of weekly physical education time recommended by national experts at the elementary and middle school levels.
Marva Hinton, May 4, 2016
2 min read
Student Well-Being Laremy Tunsil's NFL Draft Plunge a Cautionary Tale for Youth Athletes
Youth athletes with their sights set on playing collegiate sports should be careful of what they post on social media, as an Ole Miss football player learned recently during the NFL draft.
Bryan Toporek, May 2, 2016
3 min read
Student Well-Being Wisconsin Law Requires CPR Training in School Health Classes
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker his signed a bill mandating CPR training in every school health course between grades seven and 12 by the 2017-2018 school year.
Sam Milton, April 28, 2016
1 min read
Student Well-Being Colorado Commission Advises Against Native American Mascots
Colorado's Commission to Study American Indian Representation in Public Schools recommends the elimination of all disparaging and offensive mascots in the state's public schools.
Sam Milton, April 22, 2016
3 min read
Student Well-Being NFL Players Weigh In on Whether They'll Let Their Children Play Football
A number of NFL players spoke during the annual NFL Players Association meeting last month regarding how they feel about their own children playing football.
Bryan Toporek, April 5, 2016
3 min read
Law & Courts Nebraska Expands Anti-Hazing Law to Cover Primary and Secondary Schools
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts signed a bill into law Wednesday that expands the state's anti-hazing regulations to elementary, middle, and high schools rather than just post-secondary institutions.
Bryan Toporek, April 1, 2016
1 min read