BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School has raised its fees for those who participate in sports to help make up for a budget shortfall.
Before the changes, it originally cost $360 per student per sport to participate in high school sports, with a cap of $720 per family with multiple students. Now, the fee has gone up to $600 per student per sport, and there is no longer a cap.
Many have been openly against these fee increases, calling the prices many families now must pay absurd.
“Not everyone can pay 18 hundred a year for their sports, it’s pretty messed up,” one player from rival school East Bridgewater High said.
Bridgewater-Raynham’s school committee has stated that these fee spikes are to make the athletics program more self-sufficient and bridge budget gaps. One man appreciated wanting to make sure other aspects of the school were funded properly, but that didn’t change that he was still against the fee hikes.
“Yeah, I’m against it, but I would rather have them cancel sports then get rid of any teachers, but to make someone pay $600 is ridiculous,” he said.
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These increases also come after a failed override committee vote that would have given the district $8 million in funding if it had passed. This vote has been pointed out by some as a major misstep for the district.
“I think the town’s made some bad choices in the past, bad decisions in the past, and put ourselves behind the 8 ball,” one individual said.
A mother of two softball players is already dreading the price hikes as her daughters enter high school very soon.
“I have three girls, and two out of my three already play softball,” she said. “That’s an issue when they get to high school too.”
Fees for other school activities are also being increased for similar budgetary reasons.
We have reached out to the superintendent’s office for comment, but we have not heard back.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Kyle Bray (@KyleBrayWBZ) reports.