Wants school board to address the issues
Flomaton High School parent and Quarterback Club President Matthew Fillmore shared concerns he had regarding shortcomings in the Flomaton High School’s football program with the Escambia County (Ala.) Board of Education last Thursday.
Fillmore’s son, a junior, is on the track team and plays football for Flomaton.
He said his main concern was that football games often wind up without a trainer on the sidelines, and he has seen three kids get hurt so far, citing that when a call comes in, the ambulance has to leave the area, leaving the stadium without an ambulance.
“When the ambulance is there, which D.W. McMillan thankfully volunteers, they come,” said Fillmore. “But if there’s a call, they have to go. I’m glad they go. But when they go, nobody is there.”
Fillmore said there is a shortage of trainers now, according to what he has been told.
“What really bothers me is, if there is a shortage, why are we not stipending school nurses, or reaching out to nurse practitioners? Why are we not trying to find anybody with a medical background to watch after our kids?” asked Fillmore.
Fillmore said he saw a kid taken off on a stretcher at a game in Mobile and thinks that did not have to happen. The incident involved a football player who came to the side lines, showing signs of a concussion. He said the player was sent back in the game, only to be transported to the hospital a couple of plays later. He said he doesn’t blame anyone and understands it’s a circumstance, but as a parent, he finds it hard to watch. He said anybody with a medical background could be there.
Fillmore’s concerns also involve the classroom, where supplies are short and he says teachers are having to reach into their own pockets or borrow to have enough supplies.
“Teachers’ supply does not include enough copy paper,” said Fillmore. “Teachers are having to pay out of their own pocket for run-offs for their students. I don’t like that, it blows my mind.”
Fillmore said he spoke with Deputy of Operations Shaun Goolsby about several things, including the school’s field house problems and Goolsby cleared up a lot of things going on and listened to Fillmore.
He said the storage shed for the football team to put supplies in is not big enough, citing a recent incident where cats got in a hole in the floor of the shed because it is so old and had kittens, which ruined most of pads stored there.
A proposition suggested by Coach Doug Vickery involved enclosing a big set of bleachers underneath on the home side, to use as storage until new place is built, which would give a temporary storage place and more room.
Fillmore mentioned that the track team has no supplies, no hurdles, and they have to raise money for hurdles.
“Coach V could put his dummies and sleds and all kinds of stuff under there and it could be used for storage.” said Fillmore.
He said Goolsby was going to check into that solution this week and he would get back with Fillmore.
As far as the track, Fillmore said he understands that building a track takes a while but he feels that the board could be helping the track team now with equipment so the kids would not have to raise money for it.
Fillmore said he is not upset and is not trying to bash the school board, but instead he is bringing to the school board the problems that coaches, parents, students and others in the community who have come to him and told him their concerns so school board has the chance to do the right thing. A Flomaton native and graduate, Fillmore is voicing the frustrations of many who are directly affected by these and other shortcomings over the years.
“I come from Flomaton, I graduated from Flomaton, I came from kindergarten all the way through,” said Fillmore. “And nothing has changed there….the school board told me they tried to get a trainer and there was nobody available and then we were able to find a nurse practitioner in two days.”
Fillmore said he feels that he wants to see things happen at Flomaton that should be happening. He said the kids deal with the problems and it is frustrating for him to see as a parent and has been for 20 years.
“I’m not coming at this as a mad dad,” said Fillmore. “There are other issues that have plagued Flomaton over the years. This is 20 years of shortages I am making known to them. I feel like Superintendent Michele McClung is really trying, but she is fighting a losing battle.”
Fillmore said he feels like the school board is trying to help and he is appealing to the school board members he feels are holding Flomaton back. He encourages parents to attend the school board meetings to express their concerns and doesn’t understand how teachers are lacking supplies in the classroom and the school board is approving brand new $60,000 SUVs for assistant superintendents.
“I’m just trying to get Flomaton theirs.” said Fillmore. “I want to see things at Flomaton that should be happening. I want to see some progress at Flomaton. I’m not trying to trash the school board, I want to go about this the right way.”
