<p>I can’t, because then I’ll be accused of “caring.” :-)</p>
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<p>Actually, in a twist that is somehow ironic, the same district that builds this 60MM football empire, has been forced to cut dozens teachers in a recent past, but countered with yet another bond offering. The district remains in the news because in addition to the football temple and the majestic performing arts facility, they also plan a monstruosity of a “bus barn.” See [Allen</a> ISD Parents Raise Concern Over Bus Barn CBS Dallas / Fort Worth](<a href=“CBS Texas - Breaking Local News, First Alert Weather & I-Team Investigations”>CBS Texas - Breaking Local News, First Alert Weather & I-Team Investigations) or [Could</a> a nearly $40 million bus barn be built in Allen ISD? | Texas Budget Source](<a href=“texasbudgetsource.com - This website is for sale! - texasbudgetsource Resources and Information.”>texasbudgetsource.com) </p>
<p>In reality although this discussion might turn into a debate about how Texas does things in a bigger way than most --and not necessarily smarter way-- or about King Football, it really should not be the theme. The real theme should be about the permanent ridicule that permeates most funding decisions in education, and how uber-powerful school boards find the ways to get their wishes through back-alley politics and misleading their citizens who rarely understand what is on the ballot or do not even bother to cast a vote. Most bond elections pass or fail because of the actions of small groups of activists.</p>
<p>And, the only reason we might notice, is that in Texas … everything is bigger. I have no doubt that the same waste and shenanigans happen throughout the nation, but in smaller scales and degrees.</p>
<p>PS The series Friday Night Lights was one the very best one could see on television. And it was far from being about football only.</p>
<p>I’m very familiar with Carthage. Been there. My former employer had a big facility there and I went there to handle an “issue.”</p>
<p>If you take the time to look at the Allen HS site it’s pretty impressive. They have their own college night with 160 schools. Lots of college prep help, naviance etc. </p>
<p>[Allen</a> High School / Overview](<a href=“http://www.allenisd.org/Page/9567]Allen”>http://www.allenisd.org/Page/9567)</p>
<p>^^ Isn’t that expected from a district where money appears to be an afterthought, as they can spend it like drunken sailors as long as they do not rock the spending on academics. </p>
<p>Doesn’t this fit the perfect narrative of what a move to a suburban Shangri La represents? Look who is playing Allen tonight … Southlake-Carroll, the district that is the poster child for a wealthy district built strictly to separate the haves from the have nots in the grassy plains of North Texas. It is the perfect copycat of the Park Cities less the tradition and the central location. </p>
<p>Yet another exhibit to the case that the pursuit of equality in education is just a pipe dream in America. And will remain so until we find the courage to delink the funding of education from its current basis of real estate taxes.</p>
<p>We live 15 miles, and worlds away! My kid think it is funny that kids from Plano/Allen/McKinney refer to his school as one of those “ghetto” schools. Doubt those kids have ever seen a real ghetto, unless they drove there to buy their drugs.</p>
<p>So xiggi, it seems like your issue really isn’t so much about a football stadium- you just conveniently found an article so that you could blast Texas in general or the American education system in general or whatever exactly it is you’re so displeased with. Happy to oblige as we Texans like to say! BTW, Allen won tonight in our fancy brand new stadium 24 - 0 !!</p>
<p>Have never been to that school or district, but my kids graduated from a large school district in the Houston area. </p>
<p>I am not a huge football fan, but I am a Band Mom and love the part that
music has in TX high schools. </p>
<p>I especially liked the coordination that our school (and district) had between the music and athletic departments. We had varsity football players who played in fall concerts but not at games, and basketball, soccer, and baseball players who would appear at concerts in their uniforms instead of tuxes. We also had varsity tennis and swimmers and track kids. </p>
<p>In short, athletics were important, but the departments worked together to make sure the students could participate in both activities at the highest levels.</p>
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<p>I guess you are not too familiar with my views of Texas!</p>
<p>Isn’t xiggi originally from Texas?</p>
<p>Damn right, Mrs. Pizzagirl. And not only from Texas, but from a short drive from Allen, Texas. And also a short drive from the other side of the Dallas metroplex. There are the sprawling escape suburbs to the north a la Allen, Frisco, or McKinney or Coppell and Southlake to the Northwest. A striking difference with the urban center of Dallas or the quasi ghettos a la Oak Cliff. All of them play football. And all that is needed is a field and lights. No temples to King Football and no monuments to fiscal … irresponsibility.</p>
<p>Again, this is not about Texas and not about football. It is about the universal belief that the present can be financed by future obligations, and that public finances are a heavenly product that will be repaid through acts of God. The people of Allen might bask in the glory of the massive stadium today, but so where the citizens of Harrisburg, PA when they wasted millions on asinine projects. Same in San Bernardino, CA or Jefferson County in Alabama. When the bills become due, the answer is bankruptcy court, without much impact to the fat cats who plundered the city coffers through their unions and the political duplicity.</p>
<p>Parallels in those sorry stories abound. Misled citizens, greed, corruption, mismanagement, but almost always wasteful spending. </p>
<p>Living within our means is such a foreign concept. Be in Texas or anywhere else.</p>
<p>Yeah, but they are too broke to offer classes that kids need to graduate I am sure. And cannot afford to give teachers decent health insurance. And it goes on and on. I live in a different district, but not far from there. My child could not get speech or foreign language until senior year due to supposed financial problems with the district. Even though our district has just as much money. Residents are going broke and losing their homes trying to pay the high taxes. Seriously…when will the schools get back to educating and stop with the playing around? The kids who want an education lose out while the school focus on their entertainment value.</p>
<p>I agree with Xiggi. I am tired of the government living outside of our means and tax payers voting in all this, then complaining we cannot afford what we need.</p>
<p>Dear Allen High School Football Team,</p>
<p>Thank you so much for shutting out Carroll last night.</p>
<p>love,</p>
<p>Missypie</p>
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<p>Funny how a high school being in an urban area can automatically qualify it as “ghetto.” These names won’t mean anything to you but I remember hearing someone from Saline referring to Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor as “ghetto” despite being one of the top schools in the state in one of the wealthiest areas in the state.</p>
<p>missypie - LOL!!! ;)</p>
<p>To be clear, they did not build a $23M performing arts center. They built an auditorium. The high school had none. It seats 1500, which is not half of the student body. It can be used for performances, so some of the $23M went toward that but its main role is to function as the high school auditorium. </p>
<p>The stadium seats 18000, which is about 5 times the student body. </p>
<p>The bond also spent $36.5M on a new district service center, meaning a place to park buses, administration building, etc.</p>
<p>More important question is how many seats were filled for the game. Far more family , friends and alumni will come to a football game than a play–plus visiting fans etc.</p>
<p>So much I want to say, but some of it is rude so I’ll continue not to comment on some things. </p>
<p>However, I am ITA with missypie – Way to shut out Southlake Carroll!</p>
<p>And every seat was taken at the football game. And then some.</p>
<p>About “ghetto” schools: I went to a HS game Friday, supporting the urban home team. A couple from the visiting team, which is in a suburb, parked on the home side. I told them they might want to move to the other side to be closer to their gate and to make leaving easier. The wife seemed relieved – “Oh, is it better on the other side? Is it safe to park here?” I don’t think she had a clue how rude that sounded.</p>
<p>Legroom, auditorium versus PAC are mere semantics. The Allen ISD describes it as a PAC.</p>
<p>[Performing</a> Arts Center / About Us](<a href=“http://www.allenisd.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=17255]Performing”>http://www.allenisd.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=17255)</p>
<p>By the way, for a mere 350 buckaroos, you could reserve the Mongrel seat in the auditorium!</p>
<p>Wonder if they will find a nicer term for their … bus barn. perhaps ARRC as in Allen Rolls Royce Center.</p>