Dear members of the CCSD Board of Education:

We are sending this letter with supporting signatures to ask that you approve Superintendent Allison’s recommendation for the Canton City School District to merge McKinley and Timken High Schools, to keep McKinley Sr. High School as the name of the merged high school along with Bulldogs as the mascot and red and black as the school colors, to keep the Freshman Academy and the Early College High School at the downtown Timken campus, and to rename the Early College High School the Timken Early College High School.  We also support Superintendent Allison’s decision to modify his initial recommendation to assure that current Timken students have the opportunity to earn a diploma and athletic letters from Timken High School. 

We understand that this recommendation is upsetting for Timken students and alumni, and acknowledge that we would also be upset, probably more intensely, if it were recommended that Timken High School be the name of the merged school.   We are also understanding of the fact that the media attention has focused on the reaction of the Timken students, parents, and alumni.  However, we would like to respond to a few of the statements made by the Timken alumni.

1) Mr. Ron Blackledge, notable Timken alumni, stated in a Canton Repository article “My question is, are athletics important enough to have half the number of kids playing so we can win the state title?…Is a state championship more important than a kid having the opportunity to play?” 

Mr. Blackledge assumed that the recommended merger is about athletics which we believe is narrow sighted.  This merger enhances academic opportunities for youth in the Canton City School District while also reducing operating expenses that the tax payers support.  While we value the tradition of McKinley athletics, and acknowledge that a merger enhances the opportunity to continue the tradition, we do not support the notion that the recommendation for the merger is driven by athletics and would not support the recommendation if it were solely about athletics. (Repository, January 16, 2015)

2) “Timken High School alumni and booster club supporters say they will withhold the annual financial support they give to students and athletes if the Canton City school board approves the proposed merger of Timken and McKinley high schools.” (Repository, February 6, 2015)

Again, while understanding their frustration, we believe their response is narrow sighted.  In his presentation to the community, Superintendent Allison stated that over the last three years, the cost to operate athletics at two high schools was approximately $957,058 ($319,019 per year), and over the last two years, the cost to operate Timken High School athletics was approximately $436,000 ($218,000 per year).  That means that Timken athletics are costing the district approximately $101,019 more than McKinley each year.  The Booster club’s threat to withhold approximately $4,000 per year, while admirable, doesn't result in a loss for the district.  

3) In the Repository and across all of social media Timken students and alumni have frequently stated that the merged high school should have a new name.  Frequently, the motivation behind this suggestion is, if “we can’t have our tradition, they shouldn’t have theirs” and “we have tradition too.”  From an emotional stand point, we understand this.  But, from a practical, logical stand point, it makes less sense.  

First, eliminating some tradition (which isn’t eliminated with the revised recommendations), is far different from eliminating all tradition.  The Canton City School District is approximately 125 years old.  Merging the two schools and creating a new name eliminates all tradition in the district…125 years wiped off of the books!  

Second, the goal is to reduce costs, and new name does just the opposite.  There is significant cost associated with having to create a new school…government/business filings, new logos, letterhead, uniforms, school signs, etc.

Your decision is not, should not be, about athletics.  Your decision is not, should not be, about upsetting alumni.  Your decision should be about what is best for the current and future youth attending schools in the Canton City School District, what is fiscally efficient and accountable to the tax payers, and what restores recognition of the district as a leader at the local, state, and national level. 

Timken alumni have argued that this recommendation comes now because the McKinley athletic teams are struggling.  Let us remind you that this recommendation was first brought forth more than a decade ago, when McKinley athletes were winning state championships. Superintendent Allison’s recommendations make sense and are long overdue.  The district cannot afford to continue to operate two high schools.  The Timken family has contributed much, and we believe will continue to do so, but there aren’t many cities in the country that are home to a United States President.  The Timken family has stated that they understand that this is a business decision.  They understand the big picture that Superintendent Allison is addressing and we urge you to support his recommendations.  We need one school, for one community…Canton McKinley Sr. High School.

Respectfully,
Supporters of Superintendent Allison’s recommendations