too many kids, not enough kids
How is it that we’re running out of fields for kids, but we have too many schools?
Also, the Tribune’s Letter of the Day is from Ernesto Diaz, who also wants to know why we are not using schoolyard ballfields.
Tags: county, education, health, sports
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August 1st, 2007 at 1:29 pm
There are no public school ball parks. The school entrances are gated plus very little clubs are allowed in schools so a child has to study for FCAT no time to play and be children.
August 1st, 2007 at 1:45 pm
I know in Pinellas County the Girls Scouts used to mostly meet at public schools, but then a religious group (don’t remember if it was FCA or which) threatened to sue for discrimination because they couldn’t also use the schools as a meeting place (something about separation of church & state?). So anything not school/school board related were no longer allowed to use the schools.
I don’t know what the current ruling is, I just remember when that was a big change for all the girls to have to find new meeting locations.
August 1st, 2007 at 5:43 pm
You know, there was a big hubbub in northwest Pinellas about ballfields and the Brooker Creek preserve. The County wanted to put one of their “mallfields” (several baseball diamonds, soccer fields, etc) on preserve land and that pissed the population on. At the time I was asking the same question as the letter writer — why aren’t county athletic associations allowed to use the ballfields and football fields at high schools on weekends or after hours when HS games aren’t being played?
Even most Middle schools have enough land (near their tracks) for soccer games…
August 2nd, 2007 at 11:38 am
Shoot the lawyers first.
The biggest obstacle restricting other usage is liability. If you notice now, if a group wants to even use public parks they are supposed to have permission and liability insurance. Thanks to all of those liability lawsuits.