If Sarah Eitzman is so concerned about this issue, why is she only urging action for MVLA and not for other school districts or even for action to be taken at the state level? The reason probably has to do with her opposition as a nearby resident to the proposed MVLA stadium lights. Sorry, Sarah. We see through your thinly veiled argument a mile away!

The only reason she cars is because ot the lights issue.
These Nimby's are very selfish

"A young child's head-to-body size ratio can be four times larger than an adult's"

Yes, babies have very large heads but aren't we talking about high-schoolers here? This type of out-of-context information detracts from what might either be a good argument or an argument full of other inaccuracies.

I frequently ask how high school football still exists, particularly at public schools. The male brain doesn’t stop developing until ~25 and yet well before that people are running into each other at full speed with the odd conception that doing so could be done safely.

I have young children and spoken to friends with the same about this subject. None of us would sign a form to let our children play tackle football. Sadly, the sport is increasingly being played solely by the ignorant and/or the destitute.

I have no respect for that NIMBY neighborhood. This is a new low.

Football does not cause injuries. Any contact sport may result in injuries from improper techniques or a lack of conditioning. How about trying Rugby-style tackling?
By the way, even Badminton and Squash can result in injuries.

i note that around the bay many games have been cancelled or forefit because of insufficient number of players and that the numbers participating in pop warner and high school are decling -- parents and kids are voting with their feet

@Robyn

Improper techniques or poor conditioning do not cause brain injuries from football, though it might lessen the extent of the injuries. Rugby, lacrosse and hockey all have concussion problems as well. Brain injuries come from the sports themselves. The brain floats in liquid and upon sudden deceleration will bump up against the skull. Even minor bumps add up when repeated. I liken this to a passenger in a car who isn't wearing a seatbelt. Slamming on the brakes will cause the passenger to go through the windshield. Even if the driver stops hard the passenger will be thrown forward, maybe not enough to go through the windshield, but enough to be bruised up. If that happens enough times, the passenger will become disfigured, which is kind of what proper tackling technique does eventually.

I agree with the statement no respect made. Such a small group of people standing in the way of something so great for the entire community. Side note: for whatever reason I now always seem to be out of poop bags when we go for our dog walks. No worries though, it's not in your back yard.

Jeff Harding tears it when he says lights are needed. No concern for player safety. Gladiators in the stadium used to be popular too. Surrounding communities are scaling back football. Because MVLA is on such small sites they perceive the lack of interest as a need for lights. Disregarding the academic and tech focus of the local students. I They should spend some of this funding propping up football on drama and orchestra. Nothing limits the concern just to the wate on lighting. Tloo much spent on coaching and other football costs too.

When I played football sixty years ago, my coach said your doing your job when you put a hit on opponent, you get up walk away, he doesn't.

In todays NFL, there is a celebration among the players when they put a big hit on opponent.

I am less concerned with whether a coach or neighbor has a special interest in the matter and more interested in the merits of the arguments presented. Proponents of tackle football will need better arguments for lights. Tackle football is riddled with life-long injuries - not just concussions. How many MV and LA footballers have been seriously injured so far this academic year? Don't ask; won't tell. It is a secret. This past Friday night, Mountain View and Los Altos played each other in football under the lights at Foothill College. The teams are among the weakest in the 93-team Central Coast Section but were evenly-matched with Mountain View winning 23-20 in overtime. Each team is now 3-4 against the bottom-of-the-barrel teams. But playing weak opponents is a good thing because playing St. Francis in football would probably land half of the starters at MV or LA in the emergency room at El Camino Hospital. The 93rd best team in CCS (aka the worst) is Lynbrook of San Jose. Lynbrook has had stadium lights for several years. Apparently, the lights have not made the football program any better. But as a football coach once said "WINNING ISN'T EVERYTHING." I won't give you the rest of the quote. But those who say football is just for fun have not made a case for expensive and invasive stadium lights, noise and traffic. Lots of sports are fun. There are plenty of safer and more useful team sports. So football coaches and parents should work on a more persuasive case for stadium lights aiding other valuable activities. And remember, if Foothill College's stadium is ever booked on a Friday night by some other high schools and unavailable, there are dozens of nearby high schools not using their home stadiums. Half of the games are "away." Wouldn't it be fun to go there? Palo Alto. Fremont of Sunnyvale. Lynbrook. Monta Vista in Cupertino has a nice view of the mountains. MV and LA students could see lots of campuses - not just for "away" games but for their "home" games too. High schoolers see their own campuses every school day. Venture out.

If your argument on safety has to do with a winning percentage, your a straw grasper.
If you remove that fluff and nonsense and "Could you imagine..." situations that all dreamers are capable of producing, your argument might have more teeth. It might help your argument, but you'll also need to come up with the horrors that band and other activities will produce. I men, if you're concerned with safety so much that it's time to start banning stuff.
Have you seen the lifelong injuries cause d by Cheer? Horrific, ban it!
Lifetime injuries in Soccer: Ban it!
Kids having coronaries on the basketball court: Ban it!
Kids driving cars: Ban it!
No discussions on football until there are lights involved? Oh, I see now. Clearly.

But there aren't brain injuries or much trauma at all from soccer. You attempt to distract from the true danger...
!!!