'Let the students of our school have what all the other schools have'

In response to Ronald Maxwell's letter in the June 26 edition of the Rappahannock News, I find it odd that he would include Madison County in his letter.

Has he ever been to any Madison games? They have lights at their school and they also have lights on their Little League fields. My boys play baseball there during the spring for the Rappahannock Athletic Association and we play under the lights. And by the way, it is on a Saturday too. And I have never heard of Prince Michel Vineyard making any complaints.

Mr. Maxwell's comment, "After dark, shouldn't students be at home with their families, studying and doing homework?" bothers me as well. Does he know that most of our kids eat lunch at school before 12:30 p.m.? Both in the high school and the elementary school, lunch is completely finished by 1:30 p.m. So the majority of the athletes do not get a healthy dinner with their families, because they have to play a game at 5 p.m.

I would much rather my kids come home, eat a good dinner and then go back to school to play a game at 7 p.m. A game that their grandparents, aunts, uncles and their father could watch, because they would be home from work by that time. I would much rather my children eat something before they go to a game and do their homework, instead of waiting until 8 p.m. to start studying.

Does Mr. Maxwell have any idea how long a game can be? My boys have played in a game that started at 6 p.m., with no lights and ended at 10:30 p.m., with the lights on. Baseball isn't like football; there is no time limit.

The lights on these fields already have been approved; they were in the proposal four years ago. The RCSSA, of which I am not a member, is not asking for permission to put them up. They are asking for the county to co-sign a note, not pay for them. They are asking for that so they can get a better interest rate and a lower payment.

How many of us are watching the interest rates before we re-finance our homes? I think they are being very smart in asking for a co-signor. The loan is for 10 years. The majority of the people who will be raising that money have kids in RCES. And I know of at least five people who have six more years to go. Do I think they can make the payments? Yes, with enough help from the right people they can. Will they get that help? If they ask, they will get the help that they need.

This continuing fight over night skies is becoming monotonous. This county needs to watch out - someone, in the very near future, is going to start challenging every ordinance and restriction that is in this county and a court somewhere is going to start siding with the plaintiffs. And then, we really will be in a world of hurt.

Let the students of our school have what all the other schools and most parks and recreation facilities have. Sign the note, let RCSSA pay for it, and have a more valuable piece of land for no outlay of any money.