amount of money they spent on stadium complexes, high schools, etc. was mind-boggling.

And, whatever books are left after the burning. And, then they can compress the curriculum into 2 departments. Sports and "How to make a lotta money".

What a fucked up world. I really like football, but that shit is way beyond ridiculous.

Allen ISD built a high school football stadium that cost 160 million dollars. It wasn't usable for a couple of years due to cracks in the concrete used. Spent more on an engineering firm to figure out a fix. Then shortly after, not to be outdone, McKinney ISD, just up the road from Allen, built a stadium for the high school that cost 170 million. That is the value Texas places on education. Consider the highest paid employee in Texas university system is UT football coach. 2.2 million a year.

My wife taught special ed in Texas, in a basement classroom next to the boiler room, with the pipes running along the ceiling. In upstairs classrooms, they had strung chicken wire across the ceilings, because of leaks which caused plaster chunks to fall down and hit kits in the head. They did not have the budget to purchase everything their kids needed. But by golly, that district had a multi-million dollar football field complex. Built in a town where the school district had a total population of about 12,000, the stadium held 6,500. They got big crowds, but not that big, maybe half on a really good night during a great season. And keep in mind, these stadiums are used for less than half of a school year, and technically, just 5 or 6 nights out of 365. That's a bigger waste of money than a megachurch auditorium.

kids with disabilities.

Afterall, what's the point in educating if they can't play football?

Thanks, that is perfect. (It's got electrolytes and stuff. *or something like that, it has been a while since I watched that)

It cost only $11 million, paid by the electric company. This makes a lot more sense than those monstrous stadiums.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Round_Valley_Ensphere

Sounds like they get a lot of use out if too with all the sports/events it hosts.

And, no, that does not justify the exorbitant high school stadiums being built elsewhere nor the lack of proper fiscal priorities, but it is some necessary context about why it exists as it does.

The main point of the article notwithstanding, including Benson is disingenuous. It was built to host the HOF game, concert, and other festivities.

the effect of this grotesque emphasis on foobaw on the towns, schools, parents and players where these cathedrals are built.

Don't watch the tee vee series. Don't watch the movie. Read the book.

But, when I listen to local sports talk in the autumn, apart from the NFL/college talk I tune in for, there's a lot of talk about high school ball. Invariably, the FNL tv show is quoted, mentioned, or in some way alluded to, and in nearly reverential terms. Kyle Chandler's character is very much a god to them. So it's interesting to learn that the book isn't the same rosy portrayal.