Well folks, “That’s a Wrap” from Valley Ram Stadium just like last week, it was a Wrap from Bulldog Stadium in Lafayette. Oh didn’t you realize, next year neither of these teams will be wearing the Orange and Blue or the Black and Gold and each of these proud schools will be relegated to the history books ?
Are you surprised? You shouldn’t be, it’s been talked about for several years, well more like 50 plus. The desegregation cases of Anthony T. Lee vs school boards all across the State, didn’t end in the 70’s with the closing/merger of Rehobeth High (Valley), Lanier High (Lanett) or Chambers County Training (Lafayette) it’s been rocking along and the Fed’s are ready to bring all these cases to a close. Which now brings us to the consolidation of Valley and Lafayette High Schools.
For years the courts have allowed the residents of Chambers County to make these decisions and time after time we’ve put our heads in the sand hoping it would just go away. In the early 90’s when both Chambers County (Milltown) and Five Points High School closed we thought that would satisfy the Fed’s. However, both schools declining enrollment had little impact when both these schools closed/consolidated into Lafayette High School.
As the plan is now Lafayette High students will travel to Valley High as construction begins on a new consolidated high school. (location yet to be determined) The State of Alabama is on the Central Time Zone. Certain areas use Eastern Time as a “Convenience” but is not recognized by the State. That means the Schools will operate on Central Time. I know that’s going to be a change for folks in the Valley. But what about that student that’s coming from Waverly or Abanda. It’s already an hour bus ride to and from School for them. It would be grossly unfair to these students to ask them to operate on Eastern Time.
Yes we’ve all heard the chorus from the “No Change Gang” loud and clear. We had our chance but now circumstances have forced this consolidation. This action isn’t LaFayette High School closing and merging in to Valley High School with a name change. This is to be a new High School where both sides of the County come together as equal partners unlike that of the 70’s or 90’s.
The question all of Chambers County needs to ask is what kind of New School will this be? Will it be a rehash of the same, or will it finally be a school where people want to move to our county and be apart of something great. This choice is ours.