Lets face it. Some kids are athletic enough to earn a varsity letter and some aren't. The big majority aren't.
I know that these kids need all the encouragement they can get but If they want to create a special letter for them, that's fine, but a varsity letter has to be earned. What's your opinion?
In my other hobby (ham radio), we have been going through similar "who's earned it/who hasn't" controversy for years. It started when the radio theory and 20wpm Morse code tests became multiple choice and "if you didnt test in front of the FCC examiner, you had it too easy and didnt earn your license. This is when test sessions were starting to be conducted by volenteer examiners. Then it got worse when they elimated the morse code tests altogether and made the theory exam as easy as a drivers license test (meaning any knucklehead who could read and temporarily memorize a question pool could pass the highest licence class test in short order). Many opinions of the old school ops were that the license and special operating privileges of the Extra Class license (a level that only 5% of operators would ever reach) was now somehow lessened and meaningless because in their mind, the license was not earned. They think it turned the ham bands into the same chaotic mess that the CB bands were in the 70's and still are today. As an operator who had to pass the code test, I have to agree that in some cases, this was correct. However, there was sort of a compromise with changing license class priveliges with the addition of the "no code tech" and in the years following, it changed nothing. some folks continued to beat the same ol drum and try to hold on to the old ways and most just accepted change and moved on. maybe a special letter for the kids could be a "lower case" letter instead of a capital letter if they did not earn the varsity letter?? I really dont know...and I personally dont think at the end of the day it really matters...but I do think that making all things easy where everyone gets the same reward just for participating gives folks fewer reasons to strive towards a goal and do their best to excell. I am not so sure this would apply to a purchased jacket and the kid wearing it. If he didnt play the game, he didnt earn it...but that doesnt mean he cant wear one that his folks bought for him. After all, he is not claiming he earned it. Just like many have said...no one seems to care about girlfriends wearing the jacket if their athlete boyfriend gave it to her. I can say there is one thing the changes of modern times that seems be getting more mainstream and accepted, personally bothers me more to see than a mental challenged child trying to feel better about himself and "look like the cool kids". This to see one boy wearing his same gender significant other's letter jacket while they pick out their tuxedos for prom. I'm sure I'll get "flamed" for that one (pun intended LOL). As for the original question, If wearing a school letter he didnt earn was worst problem this locality has to worry about, they are doing pretty good!
