Finally An Intelligent Article About Consolidation

**R0cketer** · May 8th, 2007, 07:04 PM

Yes Spuds, we just ban people left and right.

Do you really wanna go there?

I know you like 'jerking' people around and all. Thats fine and dandy. You're pretty easy to jerk yourself, all anybody has to do is praise consolidation, no scratch that, all someone has to do is mention it should be considered or there a word that was said the other day that started with a c and it might have been a code word for consolidation. You hear or read that as the case is, and you come out throwing more curve balls than Jamie Moyer, Tom Glavine and Barry Zito combined.

Not to mention, everything is a conspiracy with you. I swear its like reading a screenplay to Conspiracy Theory when you get a rolling.

Shoot I hope they keep Appalachia open forever just to make you happy. After all, its not whats best for the kids, its what you want, right?

I mean not all kids might wanna go to college, the others can make do working in all those mines we got around here, and the ones who wanna go to college, dang it, they think they're better than everybody anyhow.

You know what, I'm man enough to say I don't wanna see Clintwood gone, but if it happens, it happens. If that is a step that it will take to help progress this area the slightest, then build the new school tomorrow. I guess there is more important things to me than going to keep stats or coming on doing a Knute Rockne speech about Greenwave (or in your case Bulldawg) pride. I'll deal with not having a Greenwave around. I'll deal with actually being able to go to a game and watch it. You know why I say this? Because this area is home, and if I want to keep my home as a viable place to live, and by live I mean make a living, have basic services, have health care, have professional people in all fields willing to stay here, not just squeak by or live off the government, then I realize I might have to accept some changes, or even endorse some changes, that I'm not crazy about. Do I want to see Clintwood closed? No, absolutely not. I'd love for there to be a logical way, a logical reason to have 3 schools in Dickenson County. When your population is like it is here, and yes even in Wise County, a very much ageing population. You aren't going to have no miraculous growth spurt, unless you change the entire way things are done. I'll tell you straight up if they consolidate Wise tomorrow, and Dickenson County the next day, or consolidate none of them, there isn't going to be a quick fix. It's not going to turn around in a year and suddenly everybody is out of poverty. You have to keep the small town values, but provide more than just community. Community is great, but community is one of the biggest reasons we got all the drug problems we have in this area. Guess what, they didn't consolidate anywhere in Wise County but if you pay attention there is as many or more drug arrests there as there is in the great Satan Lee County. There is as many in Dickenson as well. Why is that? Because we foster it. We create an environment where everybody knows and likes everybody and nobody wants to kick someone in the butt, its well lets keep it quiet, dont want to offend anybody they are related to because they are good people. We have to do more and sorry that goes for Wise, Dickenson, City of Norton or anywhere in this area. Instead we make excuses or conspiracy theories. Shoot, they pick on Appalachia about voter fraud, they pick about gambling, drugs, etc etc. Why is all this happening there? Is it the community helping to foster it? Everybody tries to act like a larger school causes problems, but look it up, a school that is too small isn't thought well of either. Why is that? Because lack of educational opportunities, but just as in a big school you can say that its too impersonal, a small school is too personal, everybody is related to each other, or knows their family, played ball with their dad, etc and nobody wants to cause problems.

So if they can close Clintwood tomorrow and start this area on the right path, then oh well I'll still be Loyal and True, but I'll also accept that change is sometimes good.

How many of us, or our parents, etc thought them there computers were the devil, or that they never would learn to use one.

You always say that we're worried about Clintwood being in the LPD or not. Screw the LPD, the forum isn't named right anyways (see LDPforum). The problem is, you can only see things as being football related, and therefore if anybody says something opposite of what you think, you only have the capability of wondering how everybody else is thinking about it, in a football manner.

Wrong. Some of us just live outside of Friday night lights. As much as we love it, and make no mistake, I love going to a game, be it helping or before I helped, I dont make every decision, or decide everything I consider based on it.

May 8th, 2007, 07:21 PM

You have missed the boat. I went to the Dayton Ohio city schools as a kid , so I kinda know what a big school is like. Dayton till high school then LeeCounty till I graduated . Never played a down at Appy. Respect the programs, yep but if they never win another game, the kids get treated fair and the education is there if ya want it. If you can't afford the dual enrollment, get a job. I worked 36 hours a week my last 2 years in high school, that should pay for your morning classes. I really don't care whose daddy is whose, cause the bleachers is as close as I ever got to sports. Grades is where the money is, unless you might be one of the few that get an education out of the deal. Like you said anybody that doesn't agree with me is a liar.

**imported_elp6n** · May 8th, 2007, 07:26 PM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> If you can't afford the dual enrollment, get a job</div></div>
So what about the ones that simply have no transportation to and from a job after school? There's no public transportation. Are they just S.O.L? Yes there are a lot of students with cars, but that's not the majority yet.

May 8th, 2007, 07:28 PM

You will have to by the best you can , same as the rest. I rode a bike about 3 miles for a month or so.

**imported_elp6n** · May 8th, 2007, 07:30 PM

3 whole miles. How many jobs are there in downtown Appalachia that a minor can hold? Would it be reasonable for a minor bike to Norton for a wally world job, kmart job, etc?

Let's not forget they need transportation to college for dual enrollment. They going to bike from Appy to UVAWise?

May 8th, 2007, 07:34 PM

Are you sure that is going to be fair to all and in everything? Vote it in , I'll vote, you vote. When it works out- I won't be the one to have to live with it.

**imported_elp6n** · May 8th, 2007, 07:36 PM

Sorry that you disagree with me, but consolidation is more fair than putting that kind of hardship on kids just to get the same educational opportunities that so many other school systems already offer.