BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE LEEDS
If anyone watched WDAZ 10 o'clock news last night, you would have seen the controversy at Leeds Public High School. The school board made a decision to end the sports co-op between Leeds and Minneuwakan, making some parents and residents extremely upset. Leeds decided to co-op with Maddock for all of their sports, thus leaving Minneuwakan. There was a big town meeting last night about it, which I did not attend.
First and foremost; my daughter attends Leeds Public for an education, not for sports. If she decides later on that she would like to play sports, that is fine with me. But her education comes first. My daughter is only in Kindergarten, so it will be a while before we get into sports. Second; the co-op with Minneuwakan happened after I graduated high school, so there isn't a sentimental element there for me. Third; Minneuwakan may be co-oping with Ft. Totten now, which I think is alright because Minneuwakan has kids from Ft. Totten attending their school, so why shouldn't those kids be able to play sports with their friends? Leeds has been co-oped with Maddock for a very long time for football, so there is already a co-op established that is very long standing. They were talking about a 3-way co-op between Leeds, Minneuwakan, and Maddock. But I don't know how well that would have worked. Maddock and Ft. Totten are really distanced from each other. They are not even close to each other.
Some community members are very upset. After the school board voted on this issue, the Leeds Superintendent put in his resignation, and just Wednesday of last week the school Principal also put in his resignation. There is also word of 6 teachers also resigning. People are worried about loosing the school. I honestly do not see the school closing because of lack of staff. I know for a fact that 3 of the six teachers are leaving NOT because of the co-op issue, but because of medical and personal reasons unrelated to the issue.
Some people have talked to me about it because the York mayor is also the President of the Leeds School Board. I am not biased on the issue because I am on the York city council and that I know the Mayor personally. The boards decision does not bother me one way or the other. I am perfectly fine with it. However, that is not the case for 80% of the residents in Leeds. I am sure people will be mad because I am staying out of it as much as I can, and because I support the school board.
First and foremost; my daughter attends Leeds Public for an education, not for sports. If she decides later on that she would like to play sports, that is fine with me. But her education comes first. My daughter is only in Kindergarten, so it will be a while before we get into sports. Second; the co-op with Minneuwakan happened after I graduated high school, so there isn't a sentimental element there for me. Third; Minneuwakan may be co-oping with Ft. Totten now, which I think is alright because Minneuwakan has kids from Ft. Totten attending their school, so why shouldn't those kids be able to play sports with their friends? Leeds has been co-oped with Maddock for a very long time for football, so there is already a co-op established that is very long standing. They were talking about a 3-way co-op between Leeds, Minneuwakan, and Maddock. But I don't know how well that would have worked. Maddock and Ft. Totten are really distanced from each other. They are not even close to each other.
Some community members are very upset. After the school board voted on this issue, the Leeds Superintendent put in his resignation, and just Wednesday of last week the school Principal also put in his resignation. There is also word of 6 teachers also resigning. People are worried about loosing the school. I honestly do not see the school closing because of lack of staff. I know for a fact that 3 of the six teachers are leaving NOT because of the co-op issue, but because of medical and personal reasons unrelated to the issue.
Some people have talked to me about it because the York mayor is also the President of the Leeds School Board. I am not biased on the issue because I am on the York city council and that I know the Mayor personally. The boards decision does not bother me one way or the other. I am perfectly fine with it. However, that is not the case for 80% of the residents in Leeds. I am sure people will be mad because I am staying out of it as much as I can, and because I support the school board.
posted by Janelle @ 9:12 AM
1 Comments:
At March 2, 2010 at 3:55 AM,
BoneDaddy said…
I like that little statement you made early on, one that is going to be lost on many of those opposed--that you want your kid to be in school for education, not sports.
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