So everyone knows this is a parent who has now had two discussions since yesterday with the administrators on this matter. While this might have started out as a wipe board that the kids were having a lot of fun with, this has now turned into an authority issue for the administrators. There is a lack of understanding why this has become such a talked about subject and why the actions of the administration are misunderstood. My personal opinion is that there has not been one consistent message issued to the student body and parents on the subject. So my take on the message I received is wear your Dome Dummy shirts to the game, they are not approved for school wear even though they have been worn for the last 3 months. Anyone who wants to get them approved for school wear should see Mr. Kieschnick at the school administration office. Be loud and cheer in a positive upbeat manner for the Dogs. Do not bring a wipe board to the game. Anyone with a wipe board will not be allowed entrance. If a board is spotted during the game, the officials will be asked to stop the game until the offender leaves with the board. There will be extra security officer at the game for wipe board management. It has been deemed that the wipe board creates havoc and has become a security issue at games. The potential to incite conflict exists because of the messaging on the board. Again, in my opinion this is now an authority issue that has evolved to control. The potential downside for anyone bringing a board to the game is that they will be sent to the alternative campus for at least 10 days since there is now a direct mandate that wipe boards not be allowed. The greater potential is that the game be stopped or the off court activity affect our team's play in a negative manner. The truth is that the Dome Dummy group wants to support basketball team in the same manner that they have supported other Nederland sports. It is exciting to have a team headed to playoffs. For everyone who reads this post just remember that the objective tonight is to support the team and abandon any personal agendas that one might have that are counterproductive to cheering our team to a win. My opinion is that the administration would love to make an example of someone over this wipe board issue which is not worthy of any further consideration and for which an amazing amount of time and energy has already been spent. I wish that this had been addressed months ago so that at this point in time all the Nederland fans would be talking about is what a great job the coaches and basketball team has done. That is the bottom line. Further, everyone who blogs on this site needs to know that they posts are being analyzed to get a feel for issues in the community and there is discussion about who posts what by the school administrators. It is your First Amendment right to freedom of speech to post. This is a public forum, a blog site, only the opinion of those who chose to post here. Opinions only! That being said you should always remember that words spoken or written can be harmful in ways you might never consider, and that some things should not be posted here on this site. So, everyone remember that the objective is to cheer for the Bulldog basketball team, not to make a stand over wipe boards. Thanks for reading. Judy Banner
