Local Debate; Your Opinion?

[Origami]

Where I come from there are two high schools in the district that the students can choose between: Gaffney High School and Blacksburg High School. Gaffney is a 4A school compared to Blacksburg which is a small 1A school. In the city of Gaffney there are 12 total schools (10 Elementary, 3 Middle) in the city of Gaffney all accumulating into 1 single high school. In Blacksburg there are 3 schools (1 Primary, 1 Elementary, 1 Middle) that accumulate into 1 high school. The two schools have an unsettling difference in available resources and opportunities for their children with Gaffney far exceeding Blacksburg which is near in shambles. Blacksburg has overgrown and weather equipment and grounds back from the 50's whereas Gaffney receives the newest, latest equipment and resources every year. This includes a $10,000,000 football stadium two years ago to a Blacksburg that can't get a freshly paved track for the health of it's runners.

There is now an argument saying Blacksburg Middle School and Blacksburg High School should consolidate into one single school or Blacksburg residents should receive an increased tax rate to keep the two schools separate. Those for this motion are from Gaffney, obviously. They argue that Blacksburg receives $2,300 more per student (I don't know the accuracy of this statement) than Gaffney does and that it's unfair to Gaffney students.

What are your thoughts?

My thoughts are that it isn't unfair because of the shear difference in both school grounds and their available resources but this was my post on the matter:

I will say simply this on the matter; Financial equality should not be the first concern of the Cherokee County School District if it means to put ten year old children in the same school as eighteen year old adults. Anyone who suggests this is a good idea has clearly lost all touch with today's youth. If it is less cost effective to keep ten and thirteen year old children in their own school building, so be it. Being separated from the older kids helps keep them unexposed to a lot of the less than decent things that float around in any high school environment. Since when has education cared about the cost over the safety and proper development of the children?
If Blacksburg does in fact receive $2,300 more per child, then they need to learn to spend this money in a more profitable manner. Anyone who doesn't recognize that Gaffney has more opportunity and better resources than Blacksburg is simply naive. Consolidating the schools won't solve the issue. Raising Blacksburg taxes won't solve the issue. A stricter mandate on what Blacksburg can spend it's money on is what is needed. When the students in both schools have the same opportunities and quality resources at their disposal, then it is fair. Until then, Blacksburg receiving more money won't make anything "unfair."

[Emerald Dream]

Looks to me like 4A football dictates the money in your school district.

I don't understand why more money isn't shared if the two school are in the same district, though. That doesn't seem right. Paving a new track doesn't seem like it would be a drop in a bucket compared to a multi-million dollar football facility. Does the money generated even justify millions of dollars for the stadium? It may be a big thing there, but I have a hard time believing that will pay itself off in the long run (and by that I mean through tickets, merch, and boosters...not hefty donations from football players who may be giving back - you can't actually count on money like that).

Sounds to me like a case of the rich getting richer, and taking it out on the poor (or smaller school, in this example).

[Origami]

Looks to me like 4A football dictates the money in your school district.

I don't understand why more money isn't shared if the two school are in the same district, though. That doesn't seem right. Paving a new track doesn't seem like it would be a drop in a bucket compared to a multi-million dollar football facility. Does the money generated even justify millions of dollars for the stadium? It may be a big thing there, but I have a hard time believing that will pay itself off in the long run (and by that I mean through tickets, merch, and boosters...not hefty donations from football players who may be giving back - you can't actually count on money like that).

Sounds to me like a case of the rich getting richer, and taking it out on the poor (or smaller school, in this example).

Renovations are a yearly thing for Gaffney. This year they're discussing replacing their million dollar scoreboard to further renovate the new stadium whereas Blacksburg just had to issue an emergency repair on it's visitor bleachers from the 70's.

So yeah, unfortunately that is how I view it as well. Even with $2,300 more per student (only about 500 students period), I don't see how they justify the millions spent every year by Gaffney.

[Emerald Dream]

So yeah, unfortunately that is how I view it as well. Even with $2,300 more per student (only about 500 students period), I don't see how they justify the millions spent every year by Gaffney.

Unfortunate. As much as I like football, and it seems to dominate sports programs (moreso in larger schools)....the sports programs should never eclipse the education when it comes to attention or money. I can understand a little more in college, since the football/basketball/soccer/baseball (and others) is supposed to be a money generating program. As someone who is going to be a teacher, yeah that does piss me off a little.