Given the controversy in some circles about Davis School Board’s decision to renovate the Davis High School Stadium, the Vanguard decided to tour the facility and photograph it to view it first hand and to show the community. To be very frank, the stadium is not in good condition. To illustrate the point, at one point while taking pictures, I nearly broke my ankle on uneven ground. I certainly would be reluctant to have my child use the track although at the time, there were probably several dozen elementary school children using the track for National Fitness Testing, to illustrate that this is not simply a high school football facility.
The first two pictures demonstrate the condition of the tracks after a moderate but not excessive amount of rain. There were portions of the track that were completely muddy. Once these ruts dry, they become hard and uneven grooves. This is just not a great surface. The plan calls for a completely new surface and to expand it from the current five lanes to eight lanes to better accomodate track meets.
Here is a child running on the track. The mother was there and gave permission to photograph him. I would have been a bit reluctant to allow my children to run on this surface. Incidentally that child is probably half a track ahead of the rest of his group of runners, college recruiters might want to take note.
The restrooms are not ADA compliant. This is another case where as soon as they upgrade the facility, the new ADA standards will kick in.
The scoreboard is not great condition and apparently does not work all the time. They want to bring in a new score board and move it from this location to a location where the other fields can utilize it as well. The Vanguard has been brought to you today by…
That brings us to the bleachers which in my mind are fairly appalling.
You’ll notice part of the sign says ramp accessible, in a moment I’ll show you where you get to sit if you are unfortunate enough to be in a wheel chair.
Meanwhile you can see what the bleachers look like, notice there are no rows in the bleachers to walk up.
They are not easy to walk up for anyone older than 12.
And they are not in great shape either. Don’t worry, they don’t need to wait for the new funding to repair this, but it does illustrate the overall condition of the stands.
I mentioned where you get to sit if you are in a wheel chair… here you go…
At least it’s painted nicely.
Actually the stands are an improvement over the press box, if you happen to be disabled.
I actually don’t think this picture does justice to just how ugly this press box is, although you do get a sense for it. It’s a monstrocity.
And don’t even think about it if you are not a perfectly fit person.
That brings us to the condition of the field itself which is not great.
That would be about the twenty yardline if it were striped for football. The entire field pretty much was a muddy mess. And yes, it rained, but not exactly a monsoon.
There is nothing actually wrong with the lights except that they are going to have to move them when they widen the field. So might as well replace them, they’ll need it at some point.
My overall impression is that the entire field is a safety hazard to players, athletes, students, and the public alike. This is a facility that could be utilized by the public for recreation and running. Not only is it a safety hazard, it is an eyesore. It just does not look up to the standards of this community. The bottom line is that the district faces real liability. I was joking with the facilities person that they should have made me sign a waiver of liability release before I toured the facilities. Meanwhile a several dozen elementary school age children are running on the track. The funding source is available, we ought to utlize it and fix this facility once and for all.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
Thanks for taking and posting the photos, David. It reminds me of the recreation yard at Alcatraz, minus the view. I agree that it is not at all up to our community standards, or at least what I thought they were.
nice to read one of your blogs that talks about a problem and what the real issues are with just the facts: without blaming Target or “overly compensated city staff” (your opinion, not mine) for the problems
I sincerely hope that if and when naming rights are sold for the stadium, or any part and for the sign-board that a careful vetting process is established based on a clear set of principles. This would be a fine time for students to research the history of corporations and the record of any one on human and labor rights and on real environmental stewardship (not just green-washing). I, for one. would not want the name of a corporation attached to the school and district that has a proven and poor record on these issues.
I’m a bit surprised about the poor maintenance. Whether being replaced or not, why haven’t the weeds been trimmed under the bleachers, the bleachers painted and broken boards replaced, and new gravel been put on the track to eliminate muddy spots? Based on the photos, it would appear that DHS is not very focused on maintaining these facilities.
“I’m a bit surprised about the poor maintenance. Whether being replaced or not, why haven’t the weeds been trimmed under the bleachers, the bleachers painted and broken boards replaced, and new gravel been put on the track to eliminate muddy spots? Based on the photos, it would appear that DHS is not very focused on maintaining these facilities.”
Budget cuts? I don’t know about grounds maintenance specifically, but classified staff have been hit hard by cuts in recent years. At the school board meeting held at Harper JH a couple of months ago, one gentleman who did grounds maintenance for the district spoke during public comment that his position was being eliminated. So I can’t imagine things would improve in the near future.
Ok, that may be, but it’s still pretty shocking. Maybe the Blue and White folks should spend a weekend with some clippers, paint brushes and wheelbarrows.
[b]”I, for one. would not want the name of a corporation attached to the school and district that has a proven and poor record on these issues.”[/b]
Are there any high schools in our area which have sold naming rights to corporations? Is there a Chevron Coliseum? An AIG Arena? Wal-Mart Field? Monsanto Park? Shell Oil Stadium?
If Davis High selects an unpopular, politically incorrect company to sell its naming right to, the groups that love to hold protest rallies would have an ideal local locale for a demonstration. Instead of having to flood the atmosphere with thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide driving to San Francisco to decry Chevron’s activities in Ecuador, for example, they could walk or bike over to Oak Avenue and show their displeasure right at the DHS Chevron Coliseum. That would seem to kill two birds with one stone, not that I am advocating bird-killing, mind you.
[img]http://jenangel.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/chevronprotest1.jpg[/img]
What good does it do to waste precious tax dollars fixing up a new stadium, and a Cadillac stadium version I might add, if physical education teachers are fired bc of budget cuts, so can’t teach physical education?
If the budget crisis becomes as bad as I think it is going to get, there is going to be another round of massive teacher layoffs. After-school activities like football games will have to go. Many physical education teachers will be laid off. But oh my, we have a wonderful new stadium that students can gawk at! How wonderful!
A new stadium right now is just stupid! I feel as if too many in this town are clueless about the dire consequences of this economy…
“What good does it do to waste precious tax dollars fixing up a new stadium, and a Cadillac stadium version I might add, if physical education teachers are fired bc of budget cuts, so can’t teach physical education?”
I didn’t know PE teachers were cut in recent rounds. I know that athletic stipends (to coach varsity, extramural teams) were threatened last year, but I think were covered in Measure W.
In a budget cutting environment, often utilitarian arguments win the day — “the greatest good for the greatest number”. So that means that smaller class sizes are less tolerated. P.E. teachers typically teach larger classes, say ~40 students. So P.E. teachers would seem to be more likely spared.
Here’s the overview of Measure W. Doesn’t have the specific totals for each category, but it mentions funds covering athletic programs and PE classes. Measure W is in effect for the next 3 years.
[url]http://www.djusd.net/district/measurew/measure_w/?searchterm=measure w[/url]
Someone referred to this as a Cadillac stadium version. I’ve seen the luxury stadium/ track models down at say USC, this is not that. This is a nice new Toyota Prius. Let’s not exaggerate. If we do this right it should last us 30 years if not longer.
Slightly off-topic:
“US no longer advising schools close for swine flu”
[url]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090505/ap_on_he_me/us_med_swine_flu_schools[/url]
Government policy should be made on the basis of sound science. The closing of schools was based on irrational fears. There has yet to be evidence presented which ever suggested that the swine flu was as dangerous as the regular flu, let alone more dangerous. What’s unfortunate is that our local officials shut their eyes to the evidence, failed to ask sensible questions, and cowed to the mass hysteria. Anyone at CDC who told local officials to shut a school deserves to be fired. It is ridiculous for anyone to say, “they should err on the side of caution.” No, they should err on the side of reason, science and evidence. The presumption that rashly closing a school is cautious, when all the science suggested there was no rationale for doing so, is wrong. Closing a school brings with it costs and even dangers. It disrupts lives and steals resources from schools for no benefit. Hopefully, next time there is a media-fed hysteria, our officials will ask reasonable questions based on science.
If the quality of the football stadium is that bad, then it should have been taken care of long ago. To allow it to deteriorate like that is where these people have failed. It could have been done for real cheap. A few fresh pieces of wood and some paint. This goes to show how neglectful our school board is. Yet they let it deteriorate until they think of some super-expensive way to fix the problem.
We can and probably will quibble about this issue long after a new stadium is built. But the only thing that matters is that kid out there, and the the thousands like him, who excel in school in order to do what they love and succeed at most. Life isn’t purely academic. It’s passion, skill, commitment, and overcoming adversity. It’s goal-setting, teamwork, and digging deep. It’s being celebrated for your achievements, and being able to celebrate the achievements of others, even when they aren’t your own.
I applaud David for taking the initiative to see the problem firsthand. Others should do the same.
By the way, Blue and White has supported the stadium in all ways that don’t violate union rules. Why would we criticize volunteers who are looking for creative ways to support all students? Do we really want to live up to the negative reputation assigned by neighboring cities?
As for naming rights, there is board policy about what is permitted, and what is not, and these rights have to be approved before being finalized.
And for the oh, I don’t know, umteenth time, P.E. is a state mandated educational requirement, just like math, English, and science. Would any of us suggest justification of those subjects?
“If the quality of the football stadium is that bad, then it should have been taken care of long ago. To allow it to deteriorate like that is where these people have failed. It could have been done for real cheap. A few fresh pieces of wood and some paint. This goes to show how neglectful our school board is. Yet they let it deteriorate until they think of some super-expensive way to fix the problem.”
In David’s photos and when I have visited the stadium for events, I see recent paint and fresh wood in place replacing old boards. I don’t get your point. It seems like the district has been doing all it can do to keep it maintained.
To me it’s a facility that is too small for current student population. DHS is bigger than it has ever been. The stadium was built for a student body that was about one fourth the current size.
I remember there was a big uproar about opening up the current Emerson campus. It was built and opened up during bad budget times and declining enrollments. Now people insist that it never be closed. Once this stadium is built, you’ll probably wonder why you were complaining.
“It is ridiculous for anyone to say, “they should err on the side of caution.” No, they should err on the side of reason, science and evidence.”
What does that mean? Wait to see how many people die first before you decide how deadly the flu strain is? After it already looked pretty bad in Mexico when it first showed up?
I’m glad you’re not in a position to be making those decisions for us.
Personally I concede that there are probably very good reasons for building a new stadium at DHS. And I don’t fully buy in to the criticisms put forth on the project. But I have concerns at how I see things play out.
Lost in the discussions over spending priorities to build a new stadium or upgrading Emerson or the DHS MPR are a number of smaller projects waiting in the wings at elementary sites. For instance, at least a couple of older elementary sites, Chavez and Birch Lane, could really use an expanded MPR like many newer elementaries have. These are older campuses that actually enroll some of the larger populations of students. It is impossible to fit a lot of people in those places for community and all-school events.
When I look at the Blue and White Foundation, they say up front that they are a DHS alumni organization, dedicated to serving Davis HS. B&W was key in advocating for the stadium project for months and years; probably without their efforts, this wouldn’t be the focus right now.
But what happens after the stadium is built? Does B&W then push for upgrading the DHS MPR? and then some other DHS facilities project? I worry that other older facilities will languish many years longer while DHS sucks up available facilities money because of the stronger emotional connection that community members have with their HS over JH or elementary campuses.
It’s like the way we have first class universities but often a 3rd class k-12 systems. But more often, money spent on the foundation (elementaries, for instance) will yield a better investment than lots of money spent on the very last years of education.
Regarding MPR’s at Chavez (where my child attends) and other site needs, as far as I know, those facilities aren’t injuring anyone. Safety first, in my book.
I’m grateful there is a foundation looking out for the school most Davis children will end up. And as I understand, BWF can and will raise funds not just for high school facilities, but for scholarships, and other student support needs. This is merely their first major fundraising endeavor.If I’m not mistaken, anyone who would like to see the DHS MPR upgraded can give their money to BWF and target it for that purpose.
[b]”It is ridiculous for anyone to say, “they should err on the side of caution.” No, they should err on the side of reason, science and evidence.” [/b]
[i]What does that mean? Wait to see how many people die first before you decide how deadly the flu strain is? After it already looked pretty bad in Mexico when it first showed up? [/i]
That’s just it. It never looked bad in Mexico. The death rate was very low as a percentage of those who caught this flu. This variant of H1N1 is not a great public health hazard and never has been. It is less deadly than normal seasonal flu. The first blood samples studied at CDC confirmed that it was mild. However, because the media played up the story, a panic set in and irrational policies followed.
There are consequences to the government crying wolf too often. For example, the panicky reaction to the 1976 swine flu is thought to have set back public health tremendously. A number of researchers in the early 1980s found that the public’s skepticism over warnings about AIDS were ignored, in part because they had lost faith in the CDC in the late 1970s. Even normal precautions to prevent the transmission of the regular flu were ignored (in greater numbers) in the years following the 1976 false swine flu epidemic scare.
It is therefore not unlikely, in the coming years, that people will lose faith in public health warnings because this one was false and known (by science) to be false more than a month ago.
It is being reported this morning, by the way, that a Texas woman with this flu died, becoming the first death of an American who had this virus. The stories say that while it is certain she had this form of H1N1, it’s not known if that is actually what killed her. She was pregnant and had “chronic underlying health conditions.” What is important to understand is that during flu season about 12,000 Americans die every month from the flu and about 200,000 are hospitalized. In that context, the tragedy for this woman and her family suggests we don’t need to react with any more caution than we do to the regular flu. Individuals should always be cautious–the flu is dangerous for very old people, infants and people with compromised immune systems. But we should not panic and close schools, unless the form of the flu is especially virulent and a school has a widespread outbreak.
“If the quality of the football stadium is that bad, then it should have been taken care of long ago. To allow it to deteriorate like that is where these people have failed. It could have been done for real cheap. A few fresh pieces of wood and some paint. This goes to show how neglectful our school board is. Yet they let it deteriorate until they think of some super-expensive way to fix the problem.”
Amen! I cannot see the sense to building a new stadium, when we have more pressing needs by far. But the “frills first” crowd is in the ascendency, as usual. Well at some point, the piper will have to be paid, the chickens will come home to roost, for every action there is a consequence, etc. Woodland has just laid off 50 teachers. Do you really think Davis is going to dodge the bad budget bullet? I very much doubt it. I refuse to waste any more of my efforts stating the obvious – the stadium is a collosal waste of money at the wrong time. I’ll just give my “I told you so’s” when the time comes…just like I did when the School Board gave a raise to Bruce Colby! The “frills first” crowd is stuck on stupid IMHO!
“Woodland has just laid off 50 teachers.”
And Woodland JUSD is also building a stadium for Pioneer HS right now.
“Amen! I cannot see the sense to building a new stadium, when we have more pressing needs by far. But the “frills first” crowd is in the ascendency, as usual. Well at some point, the piper will have to be paid, the chickens will come home to roost, for every action there is a consequence, etc. Woodland has just laid off 50 teachers. Do you really think Davis is going to dodge the bad budget bullet? I very much doubt it. I refuse to waste any more of my efforts stating the obvious – the stadium is a collosal waste of money at the wrong time. I’ll just give my “I told you so’s” when the time comes…just like I did when the School Board gave a raise to Bruce Colby! The “frills first” crowd is stuck on stupid IMHO!”
Have you ever made pronouncements like this and been wrong? By chance were you one of those people last summer posting comments saying that Measure W was going down in flames?
If you are indeed so prescient, please run for school board and straighten us all out.
First, the proposed stadium contains no luxuries and it’s not a frill. It’s an educational facility. Teachers are vital, and so are safe, accessible facilities. Together they make education possible.
Second, coaches first identified the need for the stadium back in the 80’s. It was discussed throughout the 90’s while other facility needs were met, and now we finally have a board and staff that sees the need. You can’t blame current leadership for the inaction of boards and staff in the past. They’re working as hard and fast as possible to solve the endless issues needing attention in this district, at a time when resources are scarce.
Finally, this stadium would have cost much more a few years ago. The current economy shaves millions in borrowing and building costs. Fiscally, the timing is brilliant. And much of that has to do with Bruce Colby who is worth much more than he is paid. We’re lucky to have him.
“Have you ever made pronouncements like this and been wrong? By chance were you one of those people last summer posting comments saying that Measure W was going down in flames?”
I voted against Measure W – precisely bc of things like Bruce Colby being given a raise during a serious economic downturn. People in this town follow the School Board/DJUSD blindly, and that is how we got the Tahir Ahad/Total School Solutions mess. Well I told you so after the Total School Solutions debacle, the Bruce Colby incident, and I’ll tell you so again when it turns out upgrading the stadium was not such a good move.
“And Woodland JUSD is also building a stadium for Pioneer HS right now.”
Another school district stuck on stupid, IMHO. “Lay off 50 teachers, but build a stadium and they shall come!” Argggggghhhhhhh!
“Fiscally, the timing is brilliant. And much of that has to do with Bruce Colby who is worth much more than he is paid. We’re lucky to have him.”
He should not have been given a raise at the same time they were contemplating laying off teachers. What is this, ethics be damned? For shame!
“Another school district stuck on stupid, IMHO. “Lay off 50 teachers, but build a stadium and they shall come!” Argggggghhhhhhh! “
Once again, the funding for stadiums is facilities money funded by facilities bond measures. That money was voted for by the voters specifically to build schools and facilities. To use it on teacher salaries is to violate the will of the voters who passed the bond measure.
Unless of course you live in “Good Grief!” world and think democracy and the will of the voters is stupid.
“Good Grief!” makes nice rabble rousing comments, but they’re based on false premises.
A couple of stories on budget solutions:
Turlock school employees, administrators agree to 3% salary cuts:
[url]http://www.modbee.com/local/story/691820.html[/url]
Bay Area school districts go to ballot box
[url]http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/01/BAI317CF8D.DTL&hw=bay+area+schools&sn=032&sc=200[/url]
I voted for measure W, but never again!!
Once again, the funding for stadiums is facilities money funded by facilities bond measures. That money was voted for by the voters specifically to build schools and facilities. To use it on teacher salaries is to violate the will of the voters who passed the bond measure.
Cut the garbage!!! Just cut the garbage!!! I know the argument!! You have said this over and over!!! Setting aside the facilities $, the Blue and White foundation, and other organizations managed to come up with additional funds for this. Somehow, there is always a revenue stream for this garbage!!! Somehow the $ will always be there!! Just remember the school board voted to close valley oak and didn’t lift a finger to find these other revenue streams like private donations, some sort of blue and white foundation equivalent that could work hard to come up with 1.5million!! Somehow, when it comes to a fancy new stadium, the school board makes it work!! somehow it just happens. In this economic downturn, its amazing how $ just shows up! But they can give anyone a pink slip without lifting a finger because “their hands are tied.” Facilites $ can’t be touched, so we are helpless and out of options, poor us! We have no alternative! Teachers will just have to go and there is nothing we can do!! Yet all kinds of options materialize for the stadium! The blue and white $, and the private donations $. Somehow, it is just there! Here it is on a silver platter! $ has a habit if just showing up when it is convenient, and not being there when it is not!!!! So once again this hand wringing over the facilities $ is garbage disingenous to say the least!!
So once again just cut the garbage!!!! It is dishonest.
“Unless of course you live in “Good Grief!” world and think democracy and the will of the voters is stupid.”
The voters make decisions. Doesn’t mean they are all right, and doesn’t mean they are all wrong. I’m sure you have been on the losing side of an issue before and left wondering, “what were they thinking!”
“Just remember the school board voted to close valley oak and didn’t lift a finger to find these other revenue streams like private donations, some sort of blue and white foundation equivalent that could work hard to come up with 1.5million!! Somehow, when it comes to a fancy new stadium, the school board makes it work!! somehow it just happens. In this economic downturn, its amazing how $ just shows up! But they can give anyone a pink slip without lifting a finger because “their hands are tied.”
Closing Valley Oak Elementary wasn’t a facilities issue. It was a consolidation so that the district wouldn’t have to pay as much overhead for salaries — one fewer principal, fewer admin. staff, librarian, etc. I understand that they saved ~$600K this year because of it, and will save roughly that much next year. That saves a few more teachers from being cut.
Facilities are one time expenditures. Salaries are a are an ongoing expense that has to be paid year after year. It makes a big difference in how you budget, and it’s what makes public fundraising (DSF) for teachers’ positions difficult. If you save teachers’ jobs this year for fundraising, then you enter into a commitment to fundraise for them again next year and then you have additional cuts coming next year on top of that.
One solution is to propose yet another parcel tax in the next year. I suspect the voting public won’t go for it, but if it’s a cause you really believe in, I’m sure you’d find folks in Davis who would go for it.
“So once again just cut the garbage!!!! It is dishonest.”
It isn’t garbage, it isn’t dishonest. It’s the rules and realities of the moment, as uncomfortable as it is. If you think there is money to tap into, you as a public voting taxpayer have a right to see the budget and ask questions.
“Unless of course you live in “Good Grief!” world and think democracy and the will of the voters is stupid.”
Yes, I do think voters are often stupid. When frills become more important than essentials, I have a problem w that sort of thinking. Wait until the “hit fits the shan” and there is another round of layoffs of teachers. If the budget gets bad enough, the last thing citizens will be worried about is a new stadium.
I also heartily agree w the previous poster, who points out the $$$ are always there for the frills, but not for essentials. This town allowed an entire school to be destroyed (Vally Oak), and nearly allowed a Junior High to be closed, because of their own stupidity. When Emerson was going to be closed by our idiot DJUSD/School Board, the public finally woke up and protested loudly. Too often citizens wake up and smell the coffee TOO LATE.
And by the way, IMHO, the School Board told the private funders not to raise funds for teachers, bc it undermines the DJUSD/School Board’s leverage to demand teachers take a pay cut. That is now how the DJUSD/School Board figures it is going to balance its budget, while it goes merrily along its way giving salary increases to upper management a la Bruce Colby. It will build a new stadium as it cuts after school athletic programs, and Emerson falls into dangerous disrepair. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!
I don’t get this so back up and explain this to me.
You seem to understand that there is a difference between facilities and general fund money and that facilities cannot be spent in the classroom.
You also seem to see the pictures and realize that this is a dangerous facility that many students utilize on a daily basis.
So why do you view this as a “frill” expenditure? What choice do you believe the district had?
News items on area schools/districts:
“Davis slashes its admin, teaching staff by 37-plus”
available online to Enterprise subscribers at
[url]http://www.davisenterprise.com/story.php?id=101.3[/url]
Basically school board officially enacted the proposed cuts in order to meet a mid-month deadline to submit its budget. Classified staff (non-admin/teacher employees) cuts will be announced later.
San Leandro school board approves 31 layoffs:
[url]http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_12319998?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com[/url]
School-tax gamble pays off for 5 districts:
[url]http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/06/BA1917EUVD.DTL&hw=schools+budget&sn=007&sc=523[/url]
Vacaville school board approves cuts for ~58 teachers. May reach a decision with classified staff union to save some positions:
[url]http://www.thereporter.com/ci_12324414?IADID=Search-www.thereporter.com-www.thereporter.com[/url]
Parcel tax defeated for Daly City schools (Jefferson school district):
[url]http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_12310739?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com[/url]
“It will build a new stadium as it cuts after school athletic programs, and Emerson falls into dangerous disrepair.”
Again, athletics programs are funded by Measure W for the next three years. See link for Measure W programs above.
The stadium was built in ~1960 and hasn’t had any major upgrades since. Emerson was built in ~1980. The wear and tear that Emerson has doesn’t put students in danger and doesn’t prevent classes from being taught there.
Also Emerson isn’t in disrepair (and certainly not dangerous disrepair). Please cite your sources if you want to make assertions.
“”Just remember the school board voted to close valley oak and didn’t lift a finger to find these other revenue streams like private donations, some sort of blue and white foundation equivalent that could work hard to come up with 1.5million!!”
It’s easy to lament the closing of Valley Oak elementary in isolation. But school closings are all too common these days. Dixon is closing an elementary, Woodland two elementaries, Sacramento Unified is closing four schools. Those are the ones I know of in the area; probably plenty more in the state. It’s the result of limited funds to cover ongoing costs in salaries.
“It’s easy to lament the closing of Valley Oak elementary in isolation. But school closings are all too common these days. Dixon is closing an elementary, Woodland two elementaries, Sacramento Unified is closing four schools. Those are the ones I know of in the area; probably plenty more in the state. It’s the result of limited funds to cover ongoing costs in salaries.”
Come off it. We closed Valley Oak bc we built one too many elementary schools/the Tahir Ahad-Total School Solutions scandal. Had the School Board done proper oversight, there would have been no need to close Valley Oak.
“I don’t get this so back up and explain this to me. You seem to understand that there is a difference between facilities and general fund money and that facilities cannot be spent in the classroom. You also seem to see the pictures and realize that this is a dangerous facility that many students utilize on a daily basis. So why do you view this as a “frill” expenditure? What choice do you believe the district had?”
Like Caine (a previous poster), I consider math, English, social studies, science, the primary core courses that need to be protected. I do not consider the Crunch Lunch program, Chinese Mandarin 5, Stage Technician, Ornamental Horticulture to be “core curricula”. Nor do I think Emerson should have had a swimming pool. In my day the high school had a gym and an outdoor practice field. No stadium. And I will stack my education up against anyone’s anyday. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Math, and hold two advanced degrees.
A stadium is NOT a necessity. But what has happened over the years is that the gov’t has given money for more and more of these extra frills, so that we now as a society have become dependent on them and think of them as “necessities”. As I have analogized before, our schools have become like an ice cream store, with new flavors constantly being created. At some point, the store will not hold any more new flavors, and still remain financially viable. Something has got to give…
The problem is, w all these newly created “necessities”, when the economy takes a downturn, there is not enough money to keep all these new programs/facilities afloat. I think the far better approach is for the gov’t to stick to the basics, and let private enterprise provide the frills. If parents want frills, then they can raise the money for them. That is what my old high school eventually did when parents wanted a stadium. It was entirely paid for by private donations – NOT BY THE GOV’T.
Whomever is responsible for maintaining DHS stadium facilities should be fired for dereliction of duties, along with the administrator who supervises the facilities maintenance. I don’t care how old the stadium is, there is no reason to allow it to degrade through neglect! Annual application of paint,lumber and sod are relatively cheap compared to a $10 million dollar renovation. Somebody is not doing their job, or they are not being allocated the funds to do it properly. Will they neglect the required maintenance of this new facility? And I’m sorry, blaming the unions for the inability of the B&W volunteers to help with the maintenance is a really weak excuse . . .
Pingback: Sunday Commentary: Reflections on Eight Years | .:Davis Vanguard:.