Marshalling Support

According to a story in The Independent, 57 Washington High School students crafted and signed a letter to Superintendent Lisa Carmichael and Jeff David, Chairman of the Paul and Carol David Foundation, urging them to set aside their differences, and to save the DREAM project, especially the college readiness program. It's good to see people taking the reigns of leadership in our school system. Unfortunately, its the kids, not the adults.

These students made a tactical error. They assumed the school system should put their academic concerns ahead of the concerns of those who wish to run the football program. If they wanted to save the DREAM project, perhaps they should have written a letter asking that the head football coach be made the Athletic Director, and that the Assistant AD be the offensive coordinator.

School Board Member Marshall Weinberg claimed, to The Independent, that the Athletic Director's position is the lynch pin to the entire DREAM project. Wow. Our kids may not be afforded college readiness programs because the Athletic Director is not also the head football coach. Makes sense. It's so clear. It's all about the kids. Weinberg continued his logical and well thought out argument by stating that if the head football coach were also Athletic Director, drug use in our community could be curbed as well. It's good that we elect thoughtful, grounded, and sensible people to our school board.

To even imply that our students' ability to have a college readiness program rested on the head football coach being the Athletic Director is ridiculous. Fortunately, Superintendent Lisa Carmichael plans on continuing the academic aspects of the DREAM project, regardless of who serves as Athletic Director.