Lehighton Stadium

The headline in today’s Times News does catch one’s eye:  “Lehighton OKs $6.3M stadium.”  It is good to know that the Lehighton School Board is doing its best to ensure that its students can compete with Chinese students in the modern economy.

My local government expert Linda told me that people often home in on a small item of the budget rather than the huge expenditure, and I did that.  In the article I noted that the cost included $17,000 for signs spelling out “Lehighton” and “Indians.”  I will not discuss the use of the term “Indians” for a sports team and the tomahawks and an Indian in Plains headdress which no Lenni Lenape would ever wear, but I did think that was an outrageous amount to pay for end zone lettering.

I called my friend Rocky, one of the school board members who opposed the $6.3 million stadium, and he said I was reading it correctly.  $17,000 for lettering.  I realize that is a small amount next to $6.3 million, but to paraphrase Sen Everett Dirksen, $17,000 here, $17,000 there; after a while it adds up to real money.  

Luckily, I live in the Palmerton Area School District, where I would hope our school directors have better sense.