Northern Guilford stripped of hoops title

NCHSAA strips Northern Guilford High School of its state basketball championship after Guilford County Schools’ investigation determined that two ineligible players were on the team.

A couple of questions here —- OK, five players were found to be ineligible on six teams, but were they recruited— which —- correct me if I’m wrong —- is the charge that’s been bandied about in the local media. GCS says former Northern principal Joe Yeager and former athletic director Derrell Force should have known the players were ineleigible —true —- but did they play an active role in bringing the ineligible players to Northern?

The other question is why Northern basketball coach Stan Kowalski is being fired —- the formal language is his contract isn’t being renewed —although the “the school system’s investigation into Northern Guilford’s athletic program had found no wrongdoing on the part of Kowalewski.”

I’m just trying to figure out if this is excessive punishment. If ineligible players were used — and that appears to be the official determination —- then stripping the title is the punishment. But why are employees —- including former custodian Lewis Lawson —- losing their jobs over this? I’m just asking, and forgive me if I’m skeptical of anything GCS does.

More Forsyth-Guilford comparison-contrast

I’m honestly not trying to make light of Forsyth County Commissioner Walter Marshall’s concerns over exactly how $7.2 million in bond funds is being spent.

But I can’t help but think that the problems with Carver High School’s parking lot pale in contrast to some capital funding troubles down the road at GCS, where entire schools don’t get built.

GCS needs money, gets money, but not in that order

The Guilford County Board of Education voted last night to use federal stimulus money to “enhance” (as the High Point Enterprise puts it) Title I funding in 46 schools.

Meanwhile, the board member Jeff Belton calls county funding cuts for maintenance “irresponsible.”

I realize we’re talking apples and oranges here —- an important detail when discussing any type of government funding —- but does anyone else look at this and cast a skeptical eye about education’s money woes?

County gov’t comings and goings

Alamance County tax administrator Kim Horton is resigning amidst controversy over property tax revaluations, which property owners claim were too high.

Meanwhile, as Sharisse Fuller takes over as Guilford County’s assistant manager, we now learn that the votes might have been there to force out then-assistant manager Ben Brown, who would eventually resign in December.

Brown summed it up well when he said “I guess that surprises me and that doesn’t surprise me.”

That’s local government around here. Don’t be surprised when you’re surprised.