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Community presses Southwestern board after Shelby County tournaments canceled
Summary
Public commenters and board members urged Southwestern Consolidated Schools officials to act after two neighboring districts withdrew from Shelby County tournaments, leaving the long-running county competition in jeopardy; the superintendent said the choice to withdraw came from the other districts, not Southwestern.
Public commenters and several board members pressed the Southwestern Consolidated Schools board about the sudden cancellation of longstanding Shelby County tournaments, saying the decision was handled without sufficient community input and urging the district to press for a reversal.
Doug Swift, a 1997 graduate who spoke during public comment, criticized how the decision was communicated and called for greater transparency. "There's a lot of disinformation coming from Shelby Eastern Schools which was proved through that article today," Swift said, arguing that principals and superintendents should have been involved earlier and that public input should have been sought before the cancellations.
Rosie Bung, president of the Southwestern alumni association, and other community members also urged the board to act to preserve traditions and opportunities for student athletes and to support related extracurricular activities such as band and choir.
The district's superintendent told the board the cancellations were the result of two other schools deciding not to take part. "This isn't our decision to end the tournament; it was their decision not to be a part of the tournament anymore," the superintendent said, adding that there is no formal governing structure to force participation and that district leaders will continue outreach to try to reverse the withdrawals.
Speakers at the meeting suggested several next steps: seeking more complete documentation of the reasons schools withdrew, encouraging the athletic directors and principals to reopen discussion, and, if necessary, pursuing formal conference remedies. One public commenter noted that a Shelby Eastern school board meeting was scheduled that evening and urged swift action.
The board did not take formal disciplinary action during the meeting. Members said they would continue discussions with other districts and stakeholders and monitor any developments from neighboring districts' upcoming meetings.
