Comments about ‘New donor policy ends the Scott Cate Era at Cottonwood’

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Unbelievable. How long will this non-sense last?  Let the kids play ball and let the coaches coach. 

Provo, UT

This is a ridiculous policy. The head coach should be able to choose his own coaches as long as they are good with the kids, represent the community and school in a positive way and pass any background tests any other employee would have to go through.

ogden, ut

This is Great news.

Salt Lake City, UT

I look forward to the Legislature's response when the State Office of Education asks for more money. Granite must have a large reserve of cash.

Salt Lake City, UT

Granite Schhool District worries about things like this, yet continues to provide sub-par education to its students.

Salt Lake, Utah

Mr. Cate is a successful business person who could have, like many others with his wealth do, kept his money to himself. Instead, he chose to share it with the community and, unfortunately, he is being lumped in with the few who are 'bad apples' and Granite school district officials are cutting off their nose to spite their face.

Powell, OH

This means all teachers who bring supplies and donate extra time to a school program will need to account for all of it and the monetary value to stay under the limit.
Unintended consequences - will lead to firing a number of teachers as many exceed this dollar amount ever year due to inadequate funding for their classrooms.
Apply it to athletics but be fair about it and be ready and willing to fire excellent teachers who personally make up the financial shortfall taxpayers and administrators force on them.

ogden, ut

The coaches, admin and AD have been Under Cates spell for many years now. No decisions regarding the football and baseball program could be made without being cleared by Cates. This is a great decision by the district and I hope more follow their example.

Syracuse, UT

So what is Cate going to do with all that field turf?

Me, Myself and I
The Promised Land, UT

I'm afraid no matter which side of the Cate's situation you sit on Dektol has brought up a valid oversight. This is a district policy and as explained in the article it doesn't limit itself to donations to athletics. Under this policy teachers, many of whom pay for needed school supplies out of their own pockets will have to stay under the $499/year or they will be forced to quit or be fired. Granite better amend this policy quick or they will lose good teachers too.

Wendall Hoop
Murray, UT

So why did he have to remove all of the stuff he paid for over the years? I can't seem to understand that. So the provision is retroactive? seems strange to me and there is definitely more going on here.

Bored to the point of THIS!
Ogden, UT

This is a funny situation. Most Utahn's endorse Mitt Romney for President, yet he's a rich guy trying to buy and pedal influence his way into the White House. We're okay with that, but when it happens in HS sports it's bad and evil? Go figure! We care more about HS sports than how our country is to be governed.

I think any individual who if fortunate enough to make large donations to a HS program should be allowed. Whether they have too much "influence" is up to the other people involved. If those people are "weak" that's not the donor's fault... that is theirs.

I'd love to have a person like Cate donating to the programs at my kids school. From what I've seen and heard his brought great success to Cottonwoods programs. This sounds like some jealous people being overwhelmed by a successful, charitable donor.

Mountain View, CA

This is idiotic.

Let me get this straight.

Schools have so much money they are turning down donations of CASH and time?

Roger, got that. Makes perfect sense.

Twain Harte, CA

Isn't it still possible for Mr. Cate to contribute to the high school and "help the kids"? He just can't coach there.


Scott Cate changed high school football in this state. It is now pay to play pretty much everywhere. I'm sure the UHSAA is very happy with this ruling. The transfer of individuals (for athletics) was not a real big deal until Mr Cate came into the picture a dcade or so ago. It would be interesting to see out of the 22 starters on this years football team actually live in the Cottonwood District.

Draper, UT

Another school district being absolutely ridiculous. We have to watch the Canyons District make ridiculous policies and give it's superintendent a big raise and a bonus when things are being cut. Now Granite turns away money and equipment and will then go out and spend money to replace the equipment. Bureaucrats are just that. Whoever yells in their ear the loudest or threatens lawsuits gets their way. This is a huge loss for Cottonwood. What a shame.

One day maybe our administrators will stop caving in and stand up for what's right. Maybe instead of making hard, sweeping rules every time something happens (like banning lei's at graduation because someone did something inappropriate once) they can act with reason. Teach, train, adjust. It's unconscionable to continue to have government entities intrude like this and take away opportunities. Let's force everyone to be the same, give everyone participation trophies and continue to remove incentives to excel.

Old ball coach
Sandy, UT

Granite school district, and Cottonwood High are only covering their butts. With what was discovered at Timpview, and the decade long policy of, "catewood"..... The school and the district needed to act!

If Cate is so generous with his money, then Cottonwood should get his donation to at least keep up the facilities at the school....if his heart is not in the right place, the he will cut ties and let them go to waste.....

I just hope he true to his word, and he "was" in football for the kids. And will continue to support the programs at Cottonwood.....but I don't think he will!!!

Aloha Saint George
Saint George, Utah

Ironically two of the big powerhouse schools for football are being brought down. Will Cottonwood be a school where D-1 talent will flock to in the next couple of years. Will D-1 coaches find their way to Cottonwood in a few years.

Many complain why BYU, UTAH, and USU don't recruit enough local talent. If I was a college coach I would be looking elsewhere. In some group associations, they've got your back; in other groups, you've got to watch your back.

In Texas, California, and other big football states- hundreds of thousands are spent to teach and train those kids. I mainly hope to see Cottonwood stay as a powerhouse. Good luck to Croshaw.

This isn't just about football, it's about education and increasing credibility to the state

Murray, UT

Wow.... SO much mis-information in these comments

1) Parents moving their kids to a different school for better circumstances is as old as the hills. It's ALWAYS been done. Olympus has always lead the list of kids transferring; for their MUSIC department! not for any sports team. But no one complains about that, do they?

2) The beautiful new turf field, 3 story pressbox, Meeting rooms, Baseball training building, improvements to the Baseball field, etc. etc. etc. that Cate bought are ALL staying. But for some reason the District TOLD him to remove everything he had bought that could be "picked up". This included, but was not limited to, all the furniture in the press box and meeting rooms, the HUGE computer system where all the film on players and teams were stored (used in making highlight tapes for recruitment), the uniforms, helmets, pads, balls, sideline markers, etc. and everything in the weightroom (which is being left temporarily until the District can arrange for its replacement)

3) We should NEVER believe a school District NEEDS money if it has equipment pulled just because someone else paid for it, and then are buying all NEW equipment to replace it.

Saratoga Springs, UT

This is a tough one. It sounds like Cate had the right intentions. But at the same time it is unfair to the rest of high school football to have all that money going to one school. I am sure they had kids wanting to play their with great facilites who wouldn't want to play there. But to have him remove all of the equipment is just dumb. Good luck crow.

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