So this whole shindig out here in Ferndale got quite the mess happening. Some folks were thinking about moving the Christmas parade they have every year, so they would all have time to go out and support the Robinson High School team in the football playoffs. That sounds really cool and beautiful, but I don’t really know them. I mean, they have other school events, and when they hold an important match, you should see the excitement all over the place. I remember one time our school tried to change the date of a small event so that people could go and cheer our team on, so I can really understand that hype.
But it changed quickly after one businessman, a local business owner with a name like Zach Prater. There was a lady named Lizz Ann, who said that when people began to bring it up about the parade delay, Zach Prater looked with a horrible face and said that the Robinson players looked like future criminals. I thought, “What?” It was always weird reading that. I feel bad whenever the adults say something bad regarding students, because we are still learning and trying, at the end of the day. These children should work hard in school and in the field.
Zach runs Prater Service Company, which handles heating and cooling work in this area. He is around Little Rock in Arkansas, and people know him because he fixes stuff around the community. He is in charge from April 10, 2024, onward, handling all service calls himself. His company works with HVAC systems and helps people to feel warm or cool throughout the year.
After that comment, things turned around. A lot of people from Ferndale went furious. Some were calling that statement racist and hateful. Many teachers and too many other staff members felt sad that someone was talking about those students like that. “Here he is,” said Lizz Ann, “ggantt; also, I didn’t understand why an adult would target kids like that.” For the record, she usually casts those kinds of votes, but she said it hurt her because, as everyone’s mom, she does not like it when someone has bad things to say about kids who worked so hard for their school.
That simple idea became something big, like a huge argument. Events were shifted from supporting the football team to being about respect and community values, and how adults should discuss young players. It’s something like: something small combusts on social media, and suddenly everyone diverts from their own lives to debate. I’ve seen that happen in my own school’s group, too.
As of now, Zach has not said anything openly regarding the entire incident. No apology. No explanation. Nothing. So now people are waiting to see what he has to say and how the community will move next. Meanwhile, folks still want to support the playoff team, so they are stuck dealing with two issues at once.
In my humble opinion, this whole situation could have been avoided if he had kept calm or kept the comment to himself. Students already endure loads of pressure from studies to games, and they really do not need other adults calling them future criminals. Let’s hope, however, that the team still receives the support they truly deserve, because those playoff games are always something special. You may also be interested in: Brentsville District High School Lacrosse Player Jack Steinbrunner’s Death Leaves His Parents And Family Heartbroken
