A READERS COMMENT ON ...

MANDATORY CERTIFICATION

by Robert Toalson

Mr. Sarkision makes some good points in his article "Education + Experience + Certification= A Professional Recreator," (in May/June issue) but I for one object to mandatory certification as proposed by him.

My objection is based on a basic point that these plans as now proposed are discriminatory in my opinion. They require the completion of a four year or at least two year AA degree. This serves to restrict personnel who cannot afford to go to college for a degree. Many such people start working in the field and they do a professional job.

As an administrator of a park and recreation agency I would object to a requirement that we could hire registered personnel only. Some of the best people now working in this agency and the one I was formerly with could not have been hired under a mandatory registration law, but they are doing a first class professional job in these agencies.

A second item which I think has very little bearing to the question and always bothers me when it is used to support mandatory registration is the statement "that the public won't consider us professionals until we have mandatory registration."

You cannot legislate professionalism. A professional is one who gets the job done. Do a good job and you don't have to worry about whether the public considered you a professional. Respect comes by doing—not because a piece of paper says you should have respect.

I will agree that many communities think of the park or recreation practitioner as someone who just opens a gym and tosses out basketballs and then makes sure the kids don't tear apart the community. But I would also say there must be a reason for this thinking and most likely it's because that is what the practitioner is doing.

I believe in certification and I would buy mandatory certification if there were provisions for persons who can do the job to become certified even though they may not have a degree. We want the best people who can do the professional job of serving people. Their performance makes them a professional. Along the way if those who perform can become certified, I am all for it and encourage such action.

(Editor's note: Robert Toalson is Superintendent of Parks and Recreation for the Champaign Park District.)

Illinois Parks and Recreation 16 July/August, 1974