Jefferson High School decides to add a girls’ softball team in order to demonstrate progress towards equality. Yet, because there is already a football field, a baseball field, and a soccer field on high school property, there is not room to add a softball field. So JHS makes arrangements with the city for the softball team to play on a municipal field that is used by local amateur leagues. The field is two miles away from school. There is no locker room for the girls to use, and the field does not have lights or a concession stand. Maintenance such as mowing and lining of the field does not occur on a regular basis. In comparison, all of the facilities at Jefferson High School have locker rooms available and are well maintained. The football stadium has a concession stand and the baseball field has lights. If you were a member of the JHS softball team, would you think this is fair? What would you do about it?

Explanation: In fact, it is not fair. Jefferson High School made the plans to add a girls' softball team- not the girls themselves, in order to "demonstrate progress towards equality." But is there truly equality? What kid of forethought went into creating a team? Certainly, the powers that be knew there was no suitable softball field on which the girls could play. The fact that the field is a distance away,  must not only be shared, but also is poorly maintained is certainly not an incentive for girls to want to play softball, when other teams have lighted fields, concession stands and the like. So no, I don't think it's fair at all.

My solution would be to involve parents, alumni, players and townspeople to find a better solution. Is there room somewhere on the campus to create a softball field? If not, are there other fields closer or more properly maintained that might be used? I would begin fundraising, enlist local businesses and ask for their help, along with the rest of the community to provide an equal opportunity for the girls' softball team at Jefferson High.