POLL: Should school districts spend money on high school football?

Interesting column today by Star Ledger columnist Paul Mulshine on whether or not it’s prudent for school districts to continue to support high school football programs.

Do districts spend too much – both monetarily and in terms of investing community pride - especially given the high cost both in the health of the players and in simply maintaining the program?

It’s a valid question – especially since we’re the state with the highest property tax burden in the country.

Could we realistically afford to support a program which is supposed to build character and get players ready for the “real world” – when all they may come out with is the possibility of permanent injury – and perhaps a warped sense of camaraderie in the shadow of the Sayreville hazing scandal?

How about the cost of liability insurance? Who gets to bear that?

Quick answer- why, we do, of course!

Now you may be thinking, “if we can support other programs like chess, band, things like that – why not football?

Because of the cost – and because if players want to be players, there are always other outlets in which to demonstrate their skills – like youth leagues and the like.

It’s already been demonstrated in movies like “The Cartel”
that a good chunk of the money we as Jerseyans spend on education doesn’t go to education per se.

It goes the administration of the close to 600 school districts we have.

A smaller portion of the pie goes to the classroom.

And out of that, a good chunk to the 31 Abbott districts in order to maintain the “thorough and efficient” education the Supreme Court declares a must.

(Note: the justices don’t know how to read. The actual line out of the Constitution is to maintain “a thorough and efficient ‘system’ of education. The system’s in place – it’s just not being utilized properly!)

But after all is said and done – do you feel taxpayers should shoulder the financial burden of supporting high school football in the state.

Take a look at your tax bill before answering.