I grew up in a small school (K-12 enrollment 130) among small schools. As costs went up, so did the cost of participating in sports and other electives.

I can't believe we would cut education programs instead of adding costs to athletics.

Our children need a solid academic foundation from which to build their intellectual character if they hope to have any chance of success beyond the walls of JHS.

Before you toss me off as anti-athletics, understand I am a former 3-sport athlete. My parents had no money to pay for sports so I earned my own fees. If I had to rake more lawns or paint more houses in order to get my fees paid, I would still have been a 3-sport athlete.

Kids will pay. They pay $100 for blue jeans, $400 for video games and $50 a month for unlimited text messaging--I think they would take on more cost to take part in electives.

David Hanson

I agree with you, GG. I wonder how much fund raising our kids do? Maybe some sort of joint venture with the business classes at JHS and the activities departments, to create a district sporting goods store? (Maybe we have one now and I'm just out of the loop) With 'volunteer student' and part-time labor, maybe we could create another $50,000 or more a year. Every little bit helps, and I know we would see a sea of maroon in both the schools and the community.

And again I think if the price per activity were to jump, combined with the fund-raising, we could shave a great deal from that deficit.