Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Perhaps District 186 sports events would draw bigger crowds if students got in free.

That’s the idea Joanne Bardwell proposed during the public comment time at the most recent school board meeting. “Unfortunately, those students aren’t able to work,” Bardwell said, “to afford some of those admissions, and family members have come to a situation where sometimes they cannot come and support their child or have to pick and choose how many family members are going to be there, and what I’ve witnessed and seen is some of the stands have been empty.”

Bardwell says it’s unfortunate that athletes, cheerleaders, and band members work hard, only to play before empty stands.

“If they are a student of that home school that is at least playing or presenting or whatever with the proper ID to show that they actually go to the school, I’m proposing the possibility of at least that student getting in free at the high school level. because you’re going to make that money up at the concession stands or something like that, and there may be a discounted rate for, I understand, K-through-eighth grade has to be there with an adult or someone like that.”