A plug here for a column I wrote for Sunday’s paper about Stamford Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr’s proposed budget, which would cut 22 percent from the athletics department.
This is a subject that should not be taken lightly by the community, seeing it could have a dramatic impact on sports in the city, putting both Stamford High and Westhill at competitive disadvantages, denying a number of student-athletes the opportunity to compete and preventing the district from attracting top coaches.
I interviewed Starr for the first time Thursday afternoon, and what was frightening is how out of touch he seems to be about athletics. In trying to defend his care for the program, he actually fueled the constant criticism that he has attracted since his arrival 3 1/2 years ago: that he is no friend of sports.
I’m no expert on the current state of academics in city schools, and Starr at least speaks passionately about trying to improve the system. What I can say, from talking to a wide range of people over the past few years, is that Starr is universally disliked by teachers and coaches alike.
Starr’s words give the impression of someone who believes that academics and athletics are mutually exclusive. He told me he didn’t need to pay any attention to athletics because the department is so well run. I can tell you his failure to attend any sporting events has not gone unnoticed and has not helped his popularity.
I hope anyone with an interest in sports in Stamford will read the column and, more importantly, act to make sure that any cut in athletics is more proportionate to the overall budget. The stakes are too great.
