By Gabe Bullard
Filed Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Budget concerns were the main topic of the High School Athletics Administration/Management Subcommittee meeting last night. Due to budget cuts this year, each high school received $7,500 for athletics instead of the intended $10,000.
Athletics budgets have been lower than $7,500 in the past, but this $2,500 deficit could cause sports to be canceled and coaching staffs to be cut.
Labels: Schools
15 Comments:
The idea of a high school trying to make it on $7500 per year, (that's boys and girls, all levels), is ludicrous. Many (dare I say most?) schools outside SLPS spend that much and more on one sport. To ask SLPS kids to compete, SLPS coaches to coach, and ADs to try to run programs with that level of money is crazy.
If more money can't be found, then perhaps all schools SHOULD cut back on programs, so as to focus limited resources on fewer activities. It is a horrible solution, but, (personal opinion here) better than continuing to have weak programs produce losing record after losing record after losing record. Overall, check PHL performance outside the conference in any sport. The kids and their coaches, and heck the schools deserve better.
9/26/2007 3:11 PM
This is a very big deal people. Kids need sports. They learn teamwork, responsibility and they are taught to take pride in their schools. I agree we need after school activities but please remember that school sponsored sports are established after school programs.
We must invest in these kids. They need decent equipment and they really need good coaches. $7,500 is sad and an insult to our kids.
A kid that spends his/her afternoons playing sports, learning from a good coach and maintaining his/her grades in order to play do not cause trouble in the neighborhoods. I think all kids are good but like anyone they need the support of the neighborhood and we all owe that to our kids. We owe more than $7,500.
9/26/2007 4:44 PM
How much is the District being forced to spend in legal fees to defend itself against the lawsuit being pursued by the deposed school board? That money could probably finance a sport or two, I'd bet, but Purdy, Downs and the other egomaniacs who have been set aside by the state refuse to acknowledge reality and insist on draining further resources from the District. Sad, sad, sad.
9/26/2007 5:22 PM
I heard Irons had a few things to say about Dunlap to the Feds about missing money. Oh well!
9/26/2007 5:26 PM
The District, Elf, isn't being forced to spend anything. The state is the one being sued. The district intervened and the SAB chose to hire a $300/hour attorney, but they didn't have to. They could have let the state take care of it--from what I hear, the SAB attorney said hardly anything in court yesterday anyway, the state attorney did all the talking. It's obvious from your posts here that you just love to hate parents who run for the school board because they care about their children;s education, but you just show your ignorance so well when you do that.
And I'm glad to see you so worried about kids playing sports. Knowing the parents who ran for the school board, I think they are a bit more worried about whether said kids can read.
9/26/2007 5:49 PM
We all know where the money in Athletics has gone for the past 20 years. As documented in school audits...........stolen. Enough money was stolen in Floyd Irons last year at Vashon to pay for Athletics for four years (see your archives Post Dispatch as well as school audits) ....and Sam Dunlap...the total isn't in because no recent audits at Roosevelt have been done. But for all you who are not insiders......Under the leadership of Stevie Warmack 100's of thousands have disappeared over the years. There is a very long paper trail (and documented by others who have not yet come forward) to prove it. And you don't think Bill Purdy hasn't been protecting his friend Sam since the days at Central to the days at Roosevelt. And by the way how did Sam Dunlap get Floyd's job anyway?
9/26/2007 5:55 PM
To our local blogger: Isn't it a long time too late to talk about the kids. If that would have been done for the 14 years that Bill Purdy was on the School Board kids would be out front and number one.
Isn't Sullivan supposed to be a big dude in the RCGA and whatever all those cluby business groups are. How can he sit there after asking Civic Progress to spend $45,000 to send a handful of staff to Harvard, and then not ask them to spend at least $100,000 on sports?
I guess they have a secret pack. It goes something like this: Money only for anything that is not for kids. For example, the million the mayor was given for his three failed efforts to try and control the Board. Well he did control the Board, but when a Board doesn't care about kids what good is it?
Folks nobody in this town cares about the kids.
To me it's all so sad.
9/26/2007 6:07 PM
Hmmmm. Apparently Mr. Dunlap works in the "Leauge" office. Maybe we should spend that sports money on spelling workbooks.
Seriously though, if there has been a probably with theft in the athletic department(and I don't know if there has, I'm relying on what others said) then it wouldn't make sense to allocate much money to the department until those causing the problem are removed and a culture of accountability is installed.
9/26/2007 8:34 PM
^LOL. Figures I would criticize spelling only to put a typo in my own post.
9/26/2007 8:36 PM
One item should be mentioned. I am the first to admit there are a lot more out there who know more about this than I do. But I think Mr. Dunlap is being disingenuous when he says each school gets only $7500. While that is what is appropriated to the individual school, the District itself spends a great deal more than that on athletics. A more honest interview would have stated the TOTAL amount SLPS spends on athletics, incorporating BOTH numbers. Credibility is un-necessarily lost when trying to make matters worse than they are.
There is no need to lose credilbility. The number IS frighteningly small, especially when compared to other school districts. Forget the wealthier, more distant suburbs. When the expenses are compared to Hazelwood, Pattonville, etc., the money devoted to athletics is small, and essentially guarantees poor performance, (there are of course some wonderful exceptions).
No money means poor facilities. Poor facilities and low pay means all but the most extremely dedicated coaches won't stay, leaving high turnover, with the best young coaches often leaving. And with poor facilities and an ever changing coaching line-up, many discouraged young athletes either leave the district, or stop participating.
Ask those who care and are dedicated to the kids' well-being, like the AD at Beaumont, Bird Hamilton, or the football coach at Sumner, Sorel Harvey, or the basketball coach at Miller, Mike Brown, for a truly accurate assessment. They will give you an honest and accurate accounting. And it is enough to make you, well, pick your own word.
9/27/2007 9:58 AM
Where are all the civic boosters that gave millions to the Slay school board slates over the years?
Enegizer, Enterprize, Erikson, Att and the rest claimed to give money to better the schools.
Couldent they help out?
9/27/2007 10:18 AM
This is a significant issue. Is the math too difficult to figure out and clarify and justify for either Bourisaw or Sullivan?
Or is there a case of "let's not reveal too much about who is actually in charge"?
9/27/2007 2:18 PM
I do not know the numbers but high school athletics are valuable for many reasons including the possibility of scholarships. I'm sure someone out there knows more about the actual numbers.
I don't think most students (except those with obvious talent and some measure of success) should count on making a living in professional sports...but they can get scholarships to help them get into (and through) college.
And unless there is evidence of all of this theft, what good does it do to make accusations?
9/27/2007 9:54 PM
oh, and kjoe, I believe Dr. Bourisaw is currently in charge as far as most employees and students are concerned.
9/27/2007 9:57 PM
To attempt to adminster a completely years Sports Program on $7500 on Horrible. The Once Proud and Powerful (PHL))Public High League is now at shamble.
The Athletic Directors can not keep Coaching staffs. The facilities are sub par and better Athletes will not even consider playing in the city. Dedicated Coaches have to spend there own money to help support there teams.
The St Louis Public Schools are now the worst operated School System in the nation. As Far as blaming Floyd Irons for missingfunds. That is not warranted. Floyd Irons was a dedicated coach who built his program to support its self.
Just as Richard Hamilton at Beaumont. Sorrell Harvey at Sumner. And Melvin Walls at Gateway. These Coaches spend a lot of there own funds on there programs. I am sure Gary Glascock dug deep to get his Girls Program started. So these Coaches deserve to be in a position to help there programs. I just hope that the Public High League can once again, be a drawing card for all area teams. Instead of being just a league in existence.
The School system needs to unified like Los Angeles and New York to ever have a chance at surviving.
J. Kirkwood
10/01/2007 4:40 AM
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