Lee Co. Could Lose HS/MS Sports

Due to budget cuts Lee County is looking for ways to cut spending like many other counties. One of the original 3 possible options was to cut middle school sports, which I hear it has come up in other counties. But recently a fourth option has come up and it was the termination of all extracurricular activities. So not only is it removing a sport that may get a student a higher education that they would not get to begin with. But also a student with other interests besides sports. I really hope this does not happen, especially in a small town where sports bring the town together. Southern Lee and Lee Senior students/fan rooting for each other as they go deep in the play offs, clubs going on trips together, and community scholarships that go to these clubs. It is a shame to see this as an option.

 

Better option

I know nothing of the financial situation at Lee County HS. However cutting the entire athletic program just has to be avoided. Unfortunately, I would suggest a possible compromise might be changing conferences - Lee Co. is a long time member of the Tri-9, but every school in that conference is an hour's drive from Lee Co. Wouldn't joining the conference that So. Lee is a member of save expenses ??? Just a thought.

 

So.Lee and Lee Co. are in two different divisions. SL being 3A and LC being 4A. The bad thing is, in all scenarios the county is still cutting money but still in a deficit. However the county does have a multi million dollar project going on to renovate LC high school. Yes the school does need renovation but I thought that in a time of need that new buildings(not temporary ones) would of done just fine to help the county out in a whole. But that is a whole new political conversation.

 

Absolute shame!
Looking at it from a "business model" I dare say in most any school system athletics brings the highest return for dollars invested. Just take into account points/benefits from a post above, but also think about the money athletics brings in. At my school I know the pot has been increased with athletic monies, and those have, for example, bought the paper for the copiers.

There is much waste to be found inside the buildings on other projects and in other areas.

 

BUilding projects typically are carried out through Bond referendums and lottery can be used to help. So construction and rennovations usually dont come from regular operating money.

 

Coachevans you are probably correct, I am not in the loop on what money goes where and where it comes from. It is just hard to think of a County with such rich tradition losing it in a board meeting.

 

The sad thing is about budget cuts is that they hurt in all areas of education. While I don't see the total elimination of high school athletics at this time, i certainly know of LEA's that are considering "pay to play" options. This, while not eliminating athletics for all student-athletes, even this option takes away the opportunity to play interscholastic athletics to less fortunate kids, especially those who need high school sports to keep them away from street life.

While I cannot envision high school without athletics or other extra-curricular activities, I certainly can see where this may be denied to lower socio-economic students who need it the most. If this happens, it will be a sad day in education.

 

Amen