Would you pay $900 a year to wrestle... or play football... or go out for any other sport?

Would you pay $350 to be on the debate team?

Would you pay $90 to be in the choir, or marching band?

Middletown (Ohio) school district lost a school levy this evening... so, to make up a $7 million deficit, will cut bus service, and charge students to participate in extra-curricular activities. Basically, the proposed fee structure is: $900 per student who wants to play sports... $350 for any student who's a member of an "academic club/organization"... and $90 per student who wants to be involved in band, choral group or drama club.

My heart goes out to these kids and their parents. I've got to think a number of students will have to give up the benefits of extra-curriculars because the family doesn't have the money. (Sadly, Middletown is just getting over a year-long strike at its largest employer, so I can imagine money's too tight to mention in a lot of households.)

Any thoughts?
Mark

I would rather send my kid to a private school, if I'm going to spend that type of money just for them to be in athletics.

What will happen to families that are on free or reduced lunches? Will their kids not be able to participate in extra curriculars?

I'd love to know what private school only costs $350! Maybe this is from the eyes of a person who only went to Catholic school, so I'm used to the fees, but I never understood why, when money is so tight in education, parents can't help out a little for the extracurricular activities. Parents always paid for Pop Warner, Little League,etc., but the school is supposed to completely foot the bill for a sport as expensive as football? Booster clubs can always help the kids who really can't pay, but when the choices are cutting sports, cutting vital services (as they did in a town in Mass. this past week) or asking parents to pony up, it seems like a no-brainer to me.

And hardcore, Catholic school students (the ones in Chicago, anyway) do buy their own books, and sell them back at the end of the year. And as tempting as it is to think, these aren't necessarily families who are rolling in the money. My family, as well as the families I worked with at my last job, sacrifice a great deal to send their kids there.

I'm not saying a private school is that cheap. But footing $900 for the priviledge of playing sports, I mind as well send my kid to a private school for a couple thousand more. I could see maybe $50 a sport or something fairly reasonable like that, but $900 is quite a big chunk of change.

If you'd like to contact Middletown HS to offer support, here is their website, with contact information:
http://www.middletowncityschools.com...ls/middletown/

(Middletown is located in southwest Ohio, on I-75, between Dayton and Cincinnati.)

Mark