Schwarzenegger visits Dallas, promotes after-school programs
Posted on 02/05/2003 5:24:40 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Schwarzenegger visits Dallas, promotes after-school programs
02/05/2003
As a political conservative, Arnold Schwarzenegger says, he has little use for the federal government.
That was especially true this week, when a U.S. Education Department study came down against an issue close to his heart: after-school programs.
Before his visit Tuesday with children at a Dallas school, Mr. Schwarzenegger took issue with the study, which cast doubt on the value of after-school programs to help youngsters academically and said they may even encourage bad behavior.
"I really don't know what their study's based on," said Mr. Schwarzenegger, who has become a national advocate for after-school programs and helped pass a $550 million initiative for such programs in California.
"I have read about 20 different studies that indicate that kids that participate in after-school programs will improve their grades, that the dropout rate goes down and the graduation rate goes up - and it will create safer neighborhoods.
"Nothing that the federal government does ever surprises me," he said. "I'm a Republican, OK, so I don't have much patience for the federal government in the first place."
The actor was in town to help promote Dallas Inner-City Games, a nonprofit organization that provides free after-school and summer activities to poor children in southern Dallas and West Dallas.
The study for the Education Department examined 96 after-school programs and more than 5,000 elementary and middle-school students. It found that after-school programs had minimal impact on test scores and grades. It also found that students in the programs were more likely to have sold or smoked marijuana than students not in the programs.
Mr. Schwarzenegger, chairman of the National Inner-City Games Foundation, said the best types of programs come from grass-roots efforts such as Inner-City Games.
Nationwide, more than 125,000 youngsters in 15 cities participate in Inner-City Games, program officials said. They said the focus is to take youths' minds off gangs, drugs and violence, and instead, focus on activities ranging from technology to running clubs to dance classes.
In Dallas, more than 3,000 youngsters ages 7 to 17 have participated in the initiative since it began in July 2001, officials said. The primary sponsor is the Todd Wagner Foundation, a philanthropic organization founded by the dot-com entrepreneur.
Mr. Wagner said he'd like to see Dallas' program grow.
"Everybody says, 'I want to help kids,' but nobody does it," he said. "That's why you need folks like Arnold."
Dallas Inner-City Games has offered about 50 activities and clubs, such as book clubs, chess clubs, dance lessons, technology programs and boxing clubs.
Mr. Schwarzenegger visited Bowie Elementary School, which has a running club of 150 students. They cheered and chanted his name when he entered the gym. Some wondered about the sling he wore. Mr. Schwarzenegger underwent surgery recently to repair a shoulder injury he suffered while performing a motorcycle stunt for his upcoming movie Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
Despite his fame in action films, Mr. Schwarzenegger said his most gratifying accomplishments are the ones closer to reality - like getting youngsters to stay after school for fitness and learning.
Mary Rocha, 11, took a break from the excitement to answer why she stays after school to run: "It keeps our body in shape, and it's fun."
Mr. Schwarzenegger encouraged the youngsters to keep up the good work.
If they do, he promised: "I'll be back."
E-mail tdhobbs@dallasnews.com
Mr. Schwarzenegger encouraged the youngsters to keep up the good work.
If they do, he promised: "I'll be back."
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Stop it!"
"I really don't know what their study's based on," said Mr. Schwarzenegger, who has become a national advocate for after-school programs and helped pass a $550 million initiative for such programs in California.
Isn't anyone else besides me bothered by the fact that this program Arnold championed sounds more like the democrats' work? I mean, no one hates Gray Davis more than I do, but Arnold doesn't seem to be the Republican answer. I think he's spent too much time with the Kennedys.
As long as he maintains a Pro-Abortion position, he's in deep trouble in the California Republican trenches, and no amount of dazzling publicity and photo-ops with kids after school will fix it.
He knows this, but he refuses to convert to Pro-Life. This refusal is his Achilles heel.
He thinks he can power-through this contradiction, but he is wrong.
His nickname is "The Oak". Hey, Oak! You gotta convert to Pro-Life, buddy. You can't make it on charm and money alone.
You won't make it past the primary election in 2006 A.D.
Have a conversion, Oak!
"Studies," no doubt, intended to bolster the self-esteem of those who feel they have to dump their kids off with strangers while they pursue "fulfillment" and "professional advancement" - not to mention plain old money.
As opposed to being a parent, that is.
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