A dozen girls holding handmade signs shouted “Save Our Sports” at the intersection of Old William Penn Highway and Route 48 Monday evening in Monroeville, urging passing cars to honk their horns in support.
Sixty people attended a rally to protest proposed budget cuts for the Gateway School District that would eliminate its middle-school athletics programs, reduce the positions of athletic director Terry Smith and his athletic secretary to part-time status and eliminate the assistant athletic director job altogether.
The rally was an attempt to draw attention to a Gateway Board of School Directors meeting Wednesday night, where the budget is expected to be on the agenda.
“They’re making decisions that affect us, but they’re not listening to us,” said Gateway parent Tammy Richardson, adding that Smith proposed to cut $115,000 from the athletic budget. “The board stands to affect a lot of families in this community if they make the wrong decision. This is not just about football, not just about sports.”
Mia Woodson is concerned that the cuts could affect her sons. Thomas, a senior quarterback, worries that Smith might resign as head football coach if he loses his athletic director job and benefits, while seventh-grader Tomi might be in jeopardy of not playing football this fall if the school district drops the middle-school program.
“I would like him to have the same opportunities Thomas had,” she said.
