With the clock ticking toward a February deadline to approve budget cuts for next year, a Springfield school board member wants to discuss cutting even deeper than proposed into the district athletic budget in order to pay for alternative education programs or to prevent other academic cuts.
Bill Looby says that while athletics and other extracurriculars are important, they may have to take a back seat for the next several years because of the severe budget crisis. But board member Judy Johnson says sports are sometimes the only thing that keeps some students engaged and interested in their studies.
The board is expected to discuss the issue further at its next meeting, where it could take a final vote on millions of dollars in proposed cuts. A number of people spoke out against many of those cuts during Monday's school board meeting.
