Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Board Reinstates Ousted Go-Devil

A member of the Go-Devil football team suspended for a non-school related incident has been allowed to participate in basketball for the rest of the season.

The student, his mother and attorney were all present at the Gurdon School Board meeting Tuesday, Dec. 15, with the student asking to be allowed to play basketball.

His mother requested a closed hearing, with just her, the student, attorney and school board present.

Gurdon Athletic Director and head football coach John Pace, Gurdon High School Principal Leonard Gills and GHS basketball coach John Ware all "testified" during the proceedings.

Gurdon Superintendent Bobby Smithson informed the panel the student's court date has been set for Feb. 22, 1999.

He further told the board no decision had been made until it could be brought before the members of the district's governing body. There have been similar situations, he said, with other students getting into trouble outside of school and being removed from school for a period of time.

He suggested the board examine the possibility of creating a policy to deal with off- campus activity trouble in the student handbook.

Pace opposed allowing the student to play basketball, saying it sends a bad message to other students and to the people of Gurdon.

The student in question had, in November, been caught inside Gills' home after reportedly breaking in. Breaking or entering is a felony offense.

After about an hour of testimony and deliberation in executive session, the board voted to let the student play basketball for the remainder of the season.

In other business, the board rejected all bids for the old Gurdon High School building and property. Only one bid had been submitted, and it for $50,0000.

Smithson said another party has expressed an interest in buying the facility and is working on getting a grant for the money.

The panel agreed to reject all bids made and advertise for new bids on the property.

The board also discussed detention, how it was meted out and if this was being done in a fair and impartial manner.

Gills said he had met with the GHS faculty and reviewed the number of detention slips written, finding them to be consistent. Most, he said, were written because students were disobedient, disrespectful and used foul language.

However, the detention policy will be reviewed for the student handbook next year.

Most teachers, Gills said, feel the district should be tougher than it currently is.

He added the biggest group of students sent to detention tend to come from the freshman class, as they tend to have problems making the adjustment from middle school to high school life.

Smithson also gave the board an update on construction the district is doing.

The Gurdon Primary School physical education building, two-thirds the size of a regular gym, still doesn't have the bleachers in yet. They are supposed to be in around Christmas and be installed after the first of the year, he said.

Still, PE classes are being held in the new facility at this time.

During the holidays, he said, the building and walkway will be primed and painted, weather permitting.

The metal structure for the Cabe Middle School PE building is due in the week of Christmas, and once it arrives it can be erected in about two weeks.

At this time, the building is a month late and it could be March before it will be fully completed for use by students.

It will be similar to the GPS PE building, with the exception being it will have two classrooms at one end.

Smithson said the CMS PE building should cost about $200,000 to build and furnish.

Some changes were made to the plans for the new football field, basically involving parking and entrances.

At this time dirt work for the field has been done, but the drainage isn't in yet. Plans are to add 50 or 60 tons of topsoil to the field and plant bermuda grass instead of sodding.

Smithson said the field house will be about 5,000 square feet, while the concession stand will be around 3,000 square feet when finished.

The exteriors of both buildings will be split-face block.

An electrician went to Centerpoint to look at the lighting system used by the Centerpoint School District. Smithson said it is supposed to be one of the best around and Gurdon could pattern its lighting system for the new field after it.

He said there will be 1,250 seats on the home side of the football stadium, with the visitors having 750 seats available. The only time more seating would be required on the visitor side, he continued, would be for the Gurdon-Prescott game.

Work can't begin on the field house yet, he said, because Tyler Building Co. hasn't sent the anchor bolts for the structure yet. The slab can't be poured without these bolts.