U-46 students should pay to play

U-46 should take a lesson from the other area schools and increase participation fees.

If you look at some of the private schools, you will see their athletic fees are a lot higher than U-46's.

The U-46 Web site states that participation fees are $65 a sport but $130 maximum per student or $195 maximum per family.

This should be immediately adjusted. St. Edward High School charges $195 per sport per student, and they have a lot kids participating in all their sports.

My tax dollars that U-46 gets every year is for education (reading, math) and building needs - not to supplement students' fees for sports and activity participation.

Every student/family needs to take on their fair share and if they want to do the extra activities, then pay for them.

Any class/sport within U-46 - in which the district supplies uniforms or accessories - should be assessed a higher fee. The district supplies uniforms for band and chorus, so there should be a fee for this participation. Drama, the wardrobes and sets cost ... where does the money come from? There should be a fee for participation.

Once U-46 looks at the opportunities within their own controls, then maybe they can balance their books. As a taxpayer I do not want my tax dollars paying for the extras.

Investigate all the Elgin area schools, find out all the participation fees and compare them to U-46. I think the public should be have their eyes opened to the numbers and stop feeling sorry for the "B" teams that are being cut and get the budget under control.

Debbie Garland

Elgin