District 9 officials have scheduled a May 6 meeting to decide if they will allow the merger.

White echoed questions he himself has about the merger.

“Is C-L truly committed to getting rid of their sports? Will C-L athletes compete for Clarion? Will District 9 and PIAA officials allow it? Is it a recipe for disaster? What are the hidden costs?” White asked. “We have to strike a balance between our (Clarion Area’s) desire to be a good neighbor and our obligation to our own athletes.”

School board member Eric Funk addressed the audience next with the purpose of laying out the exact timeline of the merger process so far.

Funk said school board president Barb Stroup had received a call March 25 from members of Clarion-Limestone’s school board asking if Clarion Area might be interested in a sports co-op.

On March 27 a preliminary meeting was held at the Clarion University Health Science Education Center . Funk commented he found it “shocking and saddening; what C-L is facing.”

A second meeting was held April 3 with administrators and members of both schools’ athletics departments.

Funk again noted the short timeline the districts were facing to bring the proposal in front of District 9 officials, which they did on April 9.

District 9 officials held an executive session to discuss the merger, then tabled the decision to allow more time to discuss the proposed merger with more people from Clarion Area and C-L.

Audience members were given the opportunity to address school officials and the audience.

Sheila Miller of Limestone Township noted that Clarion-Limestone parents are working on answers and possibilities for the sports problem.

“We’ve started a new slogan at C-L,” she told the audience. “It’s about the kids.”

Miller questioned whether any C-L coaches had been promised jobs at Clarion in the event of a merger.

White answered by saying it had been discussed, but no promises could be made.

“C-L parents will pay to play,” Miller said of the possibility of parent-funded athletics at the school, but she noted that it will take time.

Miller announced there will be a meeting held at 2 p.m. April 20 at the Strattanville American Legion Hall for parents to discuss the athletic problem.

The audience was also addressed by Dave Slater of Clarion who asked school board members to consider not merging the junior high sports teams.

“These are the skill-building years,” Slater commented.

He noted that Clarion Area has 39 junior high girls playing volleyball and C-L has 35.

“Seventy-four kids won’t all be able to play,” he said. “Top stars will unfortunately play every sport. At Clarion Area every kid does something. No one just goes home and watches TV. That won’t be true after a merger.”

Kelly Stroup, daughter of school board president Barb Stroup, addressed the audience, pointing out some positive aspects of a school merger.

“We don’t have home-ec here,” she noted. “I don’t even know how to sew a button on a shirt. C-L has home-ec, and Clarion Area students will be able to have the opportunity to take classes like that.

Stroup said of the proposed merger, “It will be more competitive, but will build character.”

Gene Mills, a graduate of Clarion Area and resident of Clarion Township told the audience a merger is not a new concept.

“Fifty years ago we tried to get them merged,” she said. “Clarion could be a stronger community with more educational opportunities. The youth of this country is its greatest natural resource.”

Rick Tote, a parent from the C-L school district cautioned the audience that a sports merger coming before a full school merger is not the way to go, at least for C-L.

“It tears schools apart,” Tote said.

White answered by calling it an “unequal partnership” moving into consolidation with sports first.

Funk brought the meeting to its conclusion by thanking everyone for coming, and commented that C-L had initiated the talks and had been easy to work with thus far.