FCHS Paint Crew

Thank you to the "new" FCHS Administration for ruining another aspect of being a student in WF. The Paint Crew has been a long standing tradition, and welcome boost to school spirit, that was one of the few things students could look forward to at sporting events and promoted student body unity in cheering for the Redbirds.

With it's demise, you not only damaged the student body's collective school spirit, you helped take away the identity of the student body.

When student attendance at sporting events, as well as adult, starts to decline, look no further than the school administation and Board for allowing the Paint Crew to be abolished.

Thank you Mr. Goins, for bringing in one of your flunkies and allowing a tradition OF WEST FRANKFORT STUDENTS to suffer because of it. I guess your next move is to move the student cheering section at Max Morris Gym to the balcony?

Thanks you FCHS Administrators, your job here is done. PLEASE LEAVE! while we have some school spirit left!

How long are we going to put up with Goins and his buddies? The Redbird Paint Crew has been around for along time. It is a crying shame our students where kicked out of the Frankfort-Benton football game for showing school spirit. Wake up School Board or WE the public will be asking you to leave. Goins and his buddies must go!!!!

If some of these parent of the paint crew don't have a fit I won't believe it. Who is the principal that he can waltz in here and change our traditions. This is school spirit and hurts no one. What is the reason behind this except that fact that I guess Goins has told him he can do what he wants. Now I know why the teachers at High School don't like him. What a pompous arrogant man, that goes for Goins too. School Board you better wake up and do something about this monster you created!!! All he wants to do is spend our money to hell with our kids!!

Read my post on the Daily website regarding this subject. The parents are FIGHTING MAD. I have spoken to my attorney in regards to this and this IS INDEED a violation of these students rights.
While we are at it I think this is a perfect time to bring out all of the wonderful stories we parents have regarding the bullies who post as teachers at FCHS. The coaches need a wake up call too. If you start something with us, you will wish you did not. The press would LOVE this type of human interest story.

Rum I still think we need to get down to the real nitty gritty, and that's who brought in all of these ought of town people to run over us and our kids like we are nobodys. First we need to blame the school board for hiring Goins and then we need to blame Goins for hiring all of his little minions to boss us around. I have lived here my entire life and raised my children here and now grandchildren and I am sick of this handful of tyrants who want to tell us every move to make. Will it be ok to have Homecoming, Prom, Granduation,Bonfire, Sock hop? What's next from this Nazi regime?

I want to weigh in on the paint crew. First, let me start with the fact that I believe in discipline in the school system. Sometimes, I believe that we need more discipline in the school system. I also have no problem with rules being made and rules being enforced. I think that rules should be in school so that every child may get a good education in an atmosphere that is healthy and regimented. With that said, I think that this issue with the paint crew has went way overboard. First of all they should never have been disbanded. These kids are there cheering on there friends and classmates. They are enjoying the high school experience to its fullest. That is what they are entitled to do. This can promote both school and community spirit. I think that it is wonderful that these boys are expending there energy in something positive. They could be doing something wrong or unlawful with there time. I know that these boys have been appreciated and enjoyed by the athletes, both past and present. My children have told me this on numerous occasions. Yes they may have violated a new rule that was put in place, but they did it with because they believed in what they were doing. This was the basis of what our country was founded on, standing up for what you believe in. Judging by the roar of the crowd, the community has overwhelming support of these boys. The student body support was further evident in the variety show after the game. You see, the paint crew really does matter to a lot of us, both young and old. My plea to the administration is to rethink your policy on these young men and possible leaders. As for the students that voiced there opinion on stage at the variety show, appreciate the fact that they did it for love of there fellow classmates. Isn't that one of the things you strive for as administrators? Please, to the powers that be, find forgiveness and understanding in your heart for these young people.

I totaly agree,but tell people like sub teacher who thinks that the sun rises and sets with Goins. He brought these people(princ. assist. princ.)in here to run things like a prison. We have had these traditons for years and they come in and take them away. We need to get mad and say no more instead of always tucking our tail between our legs because someone has the upper hand. Maybe next they will tell our cheer leaders to put on pants cause we don't want them to show there bottoms when they cheer.

If these boys who did this are disciplined at school and not allowed to go to the game,we as parents and RB fans should boycott the game!!!!

Is there really a class sponsor meeting being held tonight wanting to get rid of the Variety Show forever? All because of students wanting to show support for their team. Sad.

That's when the parents need to show up in force.Back your kids, they didn't do any thing wrong,just great school spirit and zest for life.

enough wrote:

If these boys who did this are disciplined at school and not allowed to go to the game,we as parents and RB fans should boycott the game!!!!

Well enough, though I appreciate your enthusiasm, I think a boycott would not be the right thing to do. I think just the opposite would be more effective. Show up at the game and cheer on the team. While we are at it go to volleyball games, girls and boys basketball games, fresh soph football games, etc. and cheer on the kids. That is why we are here is to show support for all the kids. That is exactly what the spirit of the paint crew is. That is to show support for there team. Don't let that die by making a hasty decision to boycott the game. BTW, have you seen so much community spirit for such a cause in a long time. Lets turn that energy into something positive for the kids in this town. I know that they all need it at times. and some of them do not get much positive things at home these days.

But what about the boys who are going to pay for their school spirit. They don't deserve the harsh judgment that this principal may dole out. He should not be able to treat these kids this way just because he's decided it's the right thing to do!Once again where is our schoolboard????

enough wrote:

But what about the boys who are going to pay for their school spirit. They don't deserve the harsh judgment that this principal may dole out. He should not be able to treat these kids this way just because he's decided it's the right thing to do!Once again where is our schoolboard????

I agree. That is why I issued a plea for there exoneration in a previous post. I would like to see the principal reconsider his earlier decision to disband the paint crew. I am not calling for anyones head on a platter over this incident. I am simply stating that I am in favor of the paint crew as are many others (including yourself) and the spirit that they show for the school. Now I do understand that sometimes it is difficult to say I was wrong, or I am sorry; or I acted in haste. but much respect can be gained at times by doing just that. By doing so shows some flexibility on small issues. I don't want anyone to compromise rules and discipline, I just feel a different judgement on this issue is warranted. I might add why would an adminstrator be concerned with such a small issue as this?

Small issue....small person. I believe this man has to be right no matter what. Why should our boys have to grovle to him for forgiveness. Did they really do anything wrong. Or was this just his power struggle with them? How sad that our community has no say so anymore, what happend West Frankfort?

Congrats Mr.Goins about time someone shows the kids some discipline at the school. These kids sure aren't getting any at home. Hopefully in the next 2 to 3 years you can have the whole school cleaned up. Wish you could drug test the whole school for alcohol and drugs. So keep up the good work Mr. Goins if the kids & families don't like it,hopefully they will move out of our community make West Frankfort a better place.

What a jerk you are!!! They're are a lot of good kids at that school and you want Hitler and little Hitler to drug test them. Hell lets call in the FBI and the dogs and the profilers,I mean my gosh they did show their school spirit! Maybe you would prefer if we just lined them up and got rid of them in true Hitler fashion! These aren't the kids causing the problems in our school. You are a true civil citizen,don't drink, don't smoke, set in the first pew at church. If we could only follow your example and test everyone in town and get rid of the bad seeds. We might have about 200 people left. Not much of a town anymore is is?

To Birds Fan: On behalf of the volleyball team, Thank You! It seems that almost all of our volleyball games are overlooked by the town. Even when we played against Benton, virtually no one besides parents or relatives and a few students attended. We would love, and could really use, some support from our town! I'm sure that the other teams you mentioned before would say the same thing. We sometimes feel that we're not as important as other sports because the turn out for our games is next-to-nothing compared to boy's basketball or varsity football. We like to go to those games too, and are in no way saying that we want to take away some of their support from the community, but we would definitely appreciate some more support ourselves.

Just A Bird wrote:

To Birds Fan: On behalf of the volleyball team, Thank You! It seems that almost all of our volleyball games are overlooked by the town. Even when we played against Benton, virtually no one besides parents or relatives and a few students attended. We would love, and could really use, some support from our town! I'm sure that the other teams you mentioned before would say the same thing. We sometimes feel that we're not as important as other sports because the turn out for our games is next-to-nothing compared to boy's basketball or varsity football. We like to go to those games too, and are in no way saying that we want to take away some of their support from the community, but we would definitely appreciate some more support ourselves.

Unbelieveable, you are putting in a plea for your VB team on a blog site about our paint crew! This is not to advertise the VB team. How insensitive of you. We may have boys who miss homecoming activities because of our little assit. principal.If you need to, start your own site,but this site is for something else!

Well I have spoken to several board members and plan to have a conversation with Mr. Goins. The teachers can't do anything without the approval of the school board. I think some of the teachers may not be happy because the kids exercised their rights all the way around at the variety show. They have done that in previous years, with no infractions earned. I guess those teachers who might have been "imitated" were not good sports about it. They have simply been around TOO LONG and need a PERMANENT vacation.
Like I said, Mr. Rains is a huge gamble for this community to take on. I think he needs a job at a prison so he can pick on someone his own size and feel what it means to REALLY learn a lesson.

Just Me wrote:

Congrats Mr.Goins about time someone shows the kids some discipline at the school. These kids sure aren't getting any at home. Hopefully in the next 2 to 3 years you can have the whole school cleaned up. Wish you could drug test the whole school for alcohol and drugs. So keep up the good work Mr. Goins if the kids & families don't like it,hopefully they will move out of our community make West Frankfort a better place.

First of all, if you have read my previous posts; you would see that I spoke out in favor of discipline and rules in school. I just so happen to believe that this SMALL issue is one that should be reconsidered. I have never been derogatory to any member of administration or any person in my posts. But, the thing that I object to is that you imply that these boys have no discipline at home and are on drugs. Obviously you don't know some of these boys and there families very well. I can't speak for all of them, because I don't know all of there families well, but some of them come from wonderful families. Most of them have been raised by parents that possess decency and integrity. They are hard working moms and dads that have been a part of our community for a decades. They are also involved with there children and volunteer at there activities and functions. Now, are all the boys perfect? No, but who is? But, for you to hint that they are on drugs is totally wrong on your part. I strongly believe that most of these boys would pass any drug test that you gave them. And, if for some reason they failed it, the punishment coming from home would be swift and harsh. Leave town; why would we want decent kids from wonderful families to leave town. These are the people that we need to attract to our community. I believe that you should be ashamed of yourself for even hinting that these boys were on drugs and from bad families. I feel that you owe all of the parties involved an apology.