While watching the local news yesterday there was a story about how the Lufkin ISD football team was practicing on Thanksgiving Day to get ready for their big playoff game this weekend.
Lufkin seems to have enormous amounts of money. To spend on their football team. Their stadium had an instant replay screen and an indoor practice field. All of this was added while other school districts were in court begging for extra money and relief from the demands the legislature has placed on them. Of course, since the football team has won 3 state championships money is no object. Local businesses will kick in thousands of dollars to buy state championship rings for the players. I wonder how much they'd kick in for teaching supplies?
You would think with such outstanding athletic facilities the school facilities would also be top-notch. However, I attended some Science training this summer at Coston Elementary. The cabinets in the room we did training in was that 50s era green (you older folks know what I'm talking about), and it was peeling in most places. I wonder how much lead is in that old paint?
Is it any wonder some politicians believe school districts have to be slapped down and ordered to spend their money wisely?
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7 comments:
Isn't there still a debate in Texas... is the almighty god FOOTBALL a baptist or methodist?
Or does it matter?
This is Texas. Football is indeed God and I fear he's a Republican God.
No Unitatian God would allow so much money to be spent on so few people.
Dude, the color is called "avocado."
So why is it that businessmen aren't falling all over themselves to donate for educational needs? Could it be they don't get naming rights, like they can get for athltic facilities? Could it be that they all formed their tight little networks of Good Old Boys on the football fields of their youths?
And let me repeat that I LOVE football. I just say that instead of letting it supplant funding needs for other things, use people's crazed fandom to get funding. I've talked about this before, and I've seen it work. Threaten to cut football when there's a shortage; refuse to take donations earmarked for football but insist that the money be used for instruction as well-- even a 50-50 split could be a gold mine.
This plan, however, requires administrators who care about instruction as much as they care about football. A glaring weakness, I admit....
Ms. Cornelius,
I've been saying that it would be very easy for supts. to get money from the Texas legislature, loads of it in fact. All they have to do is say they'll have to cut money from the athletic programs. The you know what would hit the fan and parents would be calling Austin left and right demanding more money for schools.
Off comment:
Hello,
I have a weblog and like to be added to your site.Would you like to exchange link with me?
Of course, Frank, and I will look forward to reading your blog also. For those of you who haven't seen his blog Frank is a teacher in Iran.
http://iranianteacher.blogspot.com/
You're giving me an idea for an upcoming post. "God and Football in Texas." One is fine with me, but when's the last time that you heard of a football program getting cut?
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