Sound Off: Pay to Participate in Moon Area Sports?
What do you think of proposals that would instate a pay-to-participate program at the school district as a cost-savings measure?
District officials at a Moon Area School Board meeting in April unveiled a proposal for a pay-to-participate program for the district's student athletes.
District spokeswoman Megan Edwards said the plan includes a $100 per student or $250 per family fee. Waivers would be available for disadvantaged families and the program would raise approximately $60,100 for the district's athletics department.
The school board has taken no action on the proposal, which would be implemented as a cost-savings measure.
School board members have said they intend to balance the district's 2013 budget, which must be posted for public viewing by May 30, with no tax increase.
Budget projections have included $60.2 million in revenue and $61.5 million in district costs for 2013.
So what do you think of proposals for a pay-to-participate program at Moon Area School District? Is it necessary? How might it impact the district's athletics? We want your opinion: Tell us in the comments.
Just Chuck
8:31 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
This has been talked about for years. Finally we have a board willing to make the tough decisions. Pay-to-play is a reasonable way to raise revenue.
killerbunnies88
9:05 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
60k isn't going to make much of a dent in a 1.3 million dollar shortfall.
Concerned
9:19 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
Maybe if the board would have used a contractor that has there bus. address listed and not one that uses a job trailer as a address. And a erection/fab company that was found to be a sweatshop this might not even be a issue. How over buget did the job go?
Ryan
9:25 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
My question is if they are choosing to go with "pay-to-play", not spending money on FDK program and furloughing teachers then our taxes should be lowered. We have a budget surplus and the board is cutting proposed programs, laying off teachers and trying to get "pay-to-play".
Dr Gonzo
9:44 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
"God made the Idiot for practice, and then He made the School Board." - Mark Twain
Samantha
10:35 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
Interesting, we have a million dollar school facility and now we have to pay to play there.
Louisa
12:47 pm on Friday, May 4, 2012
I am in favor of this proposal. My family can afford it. Why should my elderly neighbors be paying for my kids' activities? The board can have a common sense policy to help those who truly cannot afford it, reduce or elimate the contribution for those familes that qualify for free or reduced lunches. Although from the fund raising that most of us are hit up with from the boosters and PTO's, and addition fee to play is not asking too much.
Ryan
1:46 pm on Friday, May 4, 2012
I'm glad that you can afford it but what about those that cannot. What do you propose they do about that and how do you think this is benefiting the students of Moon Township? Simply stated it will discouraged children from lower income families from even attempting to participate. Some of those same children are those that are more at risk for potentially risky behavior and athletics may keep them from that risky behavior.
It's a shame that this school board and people such as yourself are doing everything possible to slash budgets and cut programs that will actually help kids that really need it.
Louisa
5:04 pm on Friday, May 4, 2012
Ryan, did you read my post? For families that qualify for free lunches you would pay ZERO dollars in fees, for reduced lunch families they might pay a 50% fee. This way the district makes some extra dollars and NO programs get slashed.
Ryan
9:30 am on Saturday, May 5, 2012
Admittedly I read all things posted by you with a grain of salt due to your slanted views and agenda. What exactly would qualify a family for reduced or mitigated fees? Do they have to be at the poverty level or below? What about those families that are above the poverty line but just getting by or all the families that have been affected by job loss over the last couple of years that may be just skating by. Why do we have to put those less fortunate out in the cold and cater to those, like yfourslef, whose family can afford it.
seen2mch
7:25 pm on Friday, May 4, 2012
There are 2 issues here. One- this whole"pay to play issue" is all part of the current Republican(Tea Party)ideology to defund education coming from Gov. Corporate on down. . I`m a senior but I don`t mind paying my share so our kids get the best education (which includes athletic opportunities) we can provide them here in Moon! Others did it for my kids and now I`ll do my part for families with school aged kids. .
Second-what does the school pay for now? Referees,bus travel,uniforms every couple years...duh! The boosters and parents supply the kids with most everything else. WHO PAID FOR the weights in the weight room,$300-baseball bats,$100-plus shoes,warm-up suits,basketball shooting gun,vdeo equipment,camps,food and drinks,balls,etc. I could go on and on!!!And now they want to charge a fee to play in the WORST high school sports program in the WPIAL. Moon athletics has become a joke and every coach/team in the WPIAL knows it. The absolute worst coaching staff top to bottom. We are not even competitive in football.......both basketball teams are in steady decline with baseball not far behind and girls softball already therel Girls soccer makes the playoffs and then loses to less talented teams every year. It ain`t the kids ,it`s the COACHING(or lack of it). Keep it up MASD and you`ll end up with 2 half vacant buildings real soon! Central Catholic,Canevin,Lincoln Park, Quaker Valley,Sewickley Academy are some very good alternatives to your dysfunctional BS !!
Teri Shaw
9:16 pm on Friday, May 4, 2012
As I have stated before the district won the 5 million dollar case which was pending. Their is no need to pay to play. We do not have to raise taxes and we can have All-Day K. Just stop playing with our childrens education.