I would like to express my personal appreciation, and that of our entire city, to the Hamilton County School Board for its decision to fund new seating at Raymond James Stadium at East Ridge High School.
Because the former stadium was condemned in August and razed in December of last year, it would have been easy to simply let this subject fade away. However, the School Board and County Commission engaged in a deliberate, constructive dialogue on the issue that culminated in last week’s decision. I especially want to thank our city’s representatives on those respective bodies, David Testerman and Tim Boyd, who were at the forefront of that dialogue.
I believe that athletics and other extracurricular activities play an important role in the education and maturation of students. They also serve as a rallying point for communities.
I feel certain the stadium issue has done just that in East Ridge; it has rallied generations of alumni and supporters to take an active interest again – to reconnect to our alma mater.
Again, I applaud those who weighed in on this decision and the lasting impact it will have on current and future students at East Ridge High School.
East Ridge Mayor Brent Lambert
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So I guess what he is saying and the county and city officials are saying is that the students and alumni of Sale Creek don't deserve the same pride and consideration that the other bigger schools get.
Sale Creek doesn't even have practice fields or a place to play home games where they can make money to help their own cause, but let's not worry about this little school. Let's help the bigger schools get more money and bigger stadiums. The kids in the north end of the county don't matter.
Rhonda Thurman, why did you vote for this when you knew what the kids in your district are putting up with? Is it going to take a kid getting hurt on the two-plus-mile drive up busy Highway 27 to the practice field and the parents suing the HCDE because the kids were not given the chance as other athletic programs and be able to walk to the practice field from their nice field house.
Mrs. Thurman, I guess you don't think the kids in the north end of the county are worth that much, because the kids at Sale Creek were not your mind when you voted for this....
David Rievley