It Never Really Was About The Kids, Was It?

By all accounts, Massillon School Board Member Tom Seesan is a good and decent man. He is a Washington High School Graduate. He is active in his community. He is a Rotarian. He was a good Superintendent of the Stark County Board of MRDD, helping make life just a little better for those individuals who most need our assistance. His family has sacrificed more than most to allow us to live in a free country and enjoy the opportunities afforded to us every day. His son, Aaron, gave the last full measure of devotion in defense of our liberty. Tom Seesan ran for the Massillon Board of Education for the right reasons. He ran for school board because he wanted better schools. Now to some, he wears the black hat in our community because he did not sacrifice his principles by putting football in front of academics.

Tom Seesan was, and probably still is, in favor of Massillon's DREAM (Developing Resources for Education and Athletics in Massillon) project. One of the major contributors was the Paul and Carol David Foundation. They were providing the physical facilities for the project which included tech prep, college readiness, and health sciences. Unfortunately for the community, the David Foundation pulled its support for the project. Apparently, the "lynch pin" for the project to go forward was that the Head Football Coach had to be appointed Athletic Director, and that the Assistant Athletic Director would be the Offensive Coordinator. Other sports are coached by part time coaches who either teach full-time, or have outside employment, and are paid a small stipend to coach their sport. Under this scenario, the head football coach and offensive coordinator would have full-time jobs to, more or less, coach their sport, football.

Superintendent Lisa Carmichael opposed this proposal. So did Board Members Seesan, Becherucci and Miller. The Football Boosters and the various "Friends of the Program" were not happy. They spewed the brunt of their venom on Tom Seesan. Seesan was supposed to be a "football guy." The Boosters believed he was elected to carry out their vision for a restructured athletic department with football undeniably at the top of the pyramid. Seesan thought this was a bad idea. He voted his conscience and he voted no. Now he is attacked for his vote and treated as a traitor by some in the booster community. There are even calls for his resignation.

A number of the "football guys" are so unhappy, they wish to vote down Massillon's upcoming Renewal Levy to "send a message." The only message that will be "sent" is to our children who will have their academics gutted. "So what," is the response from those "close to the program." That is not their concern. Their only concern is that we have a good football team. We should have a good football team. And a good basketball team, and a good speech and debate team, and good academics, and health sciences, tech prep and college readiness programs. Unfortunately, for some of these folks, it has never really been about the kids. Fortunately for our community, for Tom Seesan it has been all along.