Letter: Put the Super Bowl into proper perspective

Sunday, Feb. 4, 2007 | 7:48 a.m.

Super Bowl Sunday is the modern version of ancient Rome's "Bread and Circuses" campaign to divert the public's attention from political corruption, war and threat of foreign attacks. Games in the ancient Coliseum became more important and elaborate as the decline of ancient Rome intensified. The comparison to our modern society is greater than most realize.

Public school students will return to school on Monday quoting statistics, scores and specific plays from the Super Bowl in great detail and with ease while they and their parents ignored required homework assignments. Unfortunately, many of the sports-wise students are unable to name members of important government posts, governors of their own states or to identify their own states on a map. They don't know their multiplication tables and can't work with fractions, but can identify any amount of team information and statistics with ease.

If competency tests of the No Child Left Behind Act were based solely on major sports events and personnel, our students would pass with flying colors. It is a sad state of affairs when our society places greatest emphasis and importance on sports and sports stars than truly important educational endeavors and achievement.

Our citizens are mesmerized by Super Bowl hype while there are those in the world who spend every waking moment thinking of ways to destroy our country. Our future depends upon a citizenry prepared to meet world economic competition and maintain a lead in science and technology endeavors, not athletic knowledge or prowess.

Virgil A. Sestini, Las Vegas