The financial situation at our schools is bewildering to me. I read in the Journal-World recently that the administration is searching for ways to make further cuts in the budget including reducing teachers, increasing classes, additional fees, etc. All the while, we are building state-of-the-art sports facilities at each of our high schools.

One generation earlier, our kids ran on less-than-ideal tracks, played football on natural turf, and often used consolidated facilities while we, the parents, sat on (sometimes very cold) bleachers. Somehow it didn’t prevent them from achieving, including state championships.

I’m not against sports facilities that give our kids every chance to perform to their best level athletically. What I don’t understand is why academic programs, staffing and facilities have to be compromised in the process. Let’s get our priorities for our schools in the right order including a healthy balance between learning and athletics.