The last thing Caroline County needs is more publicity from a wealthier county about the state of their athletic facilities.

When I attended Caroline middle and high schools, there were much more pressing issues than a not-so-pretty football field that never were dealt with.

Even though most of the bathrooms (and the stalls within) had no doors and the libraries were dismally out of date or even empty, all of the focus went to beautifying the athletic facilities.

Since when has a snake on a football field been more important than ensuring privacy when using the restroom, or providing enough textbooks for the classroom? The only focus of a school should be education, not sports.

Athletic director Jeremy Jack is right in saying, "Our kids deserve much more." They deserve a school that will provide them with the best possible education and redirect their focus away from the superficial needs of the athletic facilities.

I have visited schools in neighboring areas that do not even have facilities on which to practice.

If the most we have to complain about in Caroline County is a couple of snakes daring to venture out of the woods, or the wrestling team having to move a few tables in order to practice, I'd say we have things a lot better than we realize.

Besides, it is not the quality of the facilities that make a winning team; it is practice and passion and skill.

If parents want to pay for their children to go to private schools so that they have an opportunity to play sports on a better field, rather than focus on their education, let them. Caroline High could use the space.

Jessica Napier

Caroline