𝗜𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗛𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬, 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗟𝗘 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗡𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗕𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗡𝗢#𝟭 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗗𝗢 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟?

Downtown Aledo, TX

When I look at the remaining brackets of the Texas 5A football playoffs, I'm tempted to do what the Veterans Chargers absolutely cannot do; look past Spring Branch's Smithson Valley High School to number #1 ranked Aledo High School.

Aledo, a town about the size of Los Fresnos, is a smug, snotty, uppity little shit town, where, entering from the north you must cross an elevated railroad track.  I don't know what obstacles stand in your way to the south, likely tumbleweed.

Just for context, I should mention that the median household income in Aledo is roughly double the national aveage.

Anyway, about 30 years ago, living in the rurals between Aledo and much larger Weatherford, we received an unsolicited letter from Aledo's Superintendent of Schools, a very condescending, unnecessary piece of communication.

The letter basically said that, if you're considering transferring your children to the Aledo School District, please consider that your offspring may not be comfortable "here," as we have very high academic standards and expectations, etc.

Although our one son was beyond school age, I chose to respond to the letter, shaming the school official, first of all for making assumptions about the aptitudes of other folk's children, but also raking him over the coals for his arrogance, total lack of class and unprofessional approach.

OK.  I'd vented, expecting no response, but I did indeed get one and it caught me by surprise.

The superintendent sent me a personal letter, the content of which was a profuse apology for the tone of his unsolicited mailout, but also making it clear that any or all of our children would be more than welcome at Aledo, also listing a contact phone number.

Aledo's Bearcat Stadium, Home of the 2022 Texas 5A Champs

If you're familiar with Niche, an internet device that rates towns and schools and includes reviews, let me post two reviews about Aledo High School, one on the supportive side, another critical.

First, the review praising AHS:

Attending Aledo High School was an incredible opportunity to make new friends and further my education. 

Here at Aledo we are known for our outstanding football performance since we have won state 11 times now! The community at Aledo is incredible and football really brings us all together. 

As for my education, one of my favorite things about Aledo is the opportunities we are given. The selection of classes and endorsements are very broad and provide opportunities for each and every student.

Now, let me share a Niche review with a different perpective:

This school is so classist, I’m a white male and I’ve been going to Aledo most my life and all they’ve done is made fun of how poor I am, I get called White trash often, and I’ve received slurs a lot of my life here, all because I didn’t fit in because I’m not rich and a football player, my freshman year I was technically SA’d almost every day and they didn’t do anything about it until the end of the year, but the sad part is, they just acted like they cared, they really didn’t because no disciplinary action was taken, if you ever have a conflict with a white rich athlete here, they will always side with them for the most part, everyone here is just so preppy and spoiled and makes fun of others that are colored or poor or just different.

Obviously, the Chargers must take care of business to move into the finals and, regardless of the outcome, have had an historic season.

But, should they make it into the finals with Aledo High School as their opponent, I have a definite rooting interest in that one!