This is garbage at every level. Ed Nichols should be ashamed. It is also a stupid stupid stupid law.

I agree with William. This is stupid! Any booster club should be able to give coaches/leaders an added bonus for all the extra hours and work that goes into the programs, whether it's athletic or academic programs.

It's not like these coaches have any voting power to change how things are run at the state level. Isn't that really what the ethics laws are for, so the state legislators aren't bought off. Check into the politicians and leave the coaches/sponsors/teachers alone.

The coaches in this town are paid well below those in Harstelle and surrounding areas. These coaches and athleteics in general are why many families I know remain in Decatur. Then you take this Ms. Maples from what I have been told does not even live in Decatur or Morgan County with a salary over 115K. According to one of the coaches most of the board office employees do not live or send their children to school in Decatur. This is wrong on all levels. Taking money from the individuals that invest the most in out kids for the least amount pay. Pay the ethics fine from Maple salary and increase the coaches pay for the work they do.

This is a complete joke and wasted of time. I understand the rule because it prevents huge booster clubs, such as in Hoover, from being able to lure coaches because of huge bonuses paid by the booster club. However, the amount these coaches received is minimal and I am sure many of them is having their good name smeared because of this. Legislators are bought off all the time and these educators have to go before an ethics commission because they were given a small bonus? Again, what a joke!

The same rule that can get a teacher in trouble for accepting a gift over a certain dollar amount is stupid also. Again, I see the reason behind it, but is another example of a good intention executed poorly.

They should all resign their coaching positions, especially if tenured. Let somebody else do ALL the work these individuals do for normally pitiful coaching supplements. These laws are absurd; people that work for the state/legislature, really??? They are the most crooked people in the state.......................

Dumb, dumb, dumb!!! Let's penalize folks who work hard to turn kids into responsible, functioning adults. After all, they might actually accomplish something in this world instead of sitting on the porch complaining about their lot in life and plotting criminal activity!!! Then who would vole Democratic???

Just obey the rules (law) and there will not be a problem. It is called ETHICS. You either have them or you don't, no matter what the dollar amount.

GTH GREG.

wonder if these coaches knew their salaries when they took on these jobs????????????? Kinda like paying off an officer....Lord knows they don't make enough to put their lives on the line daily, but you can't pay or give them so called "bonuses"..................ETHICS.....

From what I have been told, these coaches did nothing wrong and the amounts paid were not "excessive". Apparently, the real problem was generated by the fact that the booster's book were not being audited appropriately......Austin's were. WHo let this develop this way? Is this more of some people's mentality that "rules don't apply to us"?

Stupid, dumb, absurd . . . call it whatever. The law (rule) is in place so abide by it. If you do not like it, change the law but don't break it and then try to justify it because you disagree with it.

So Charles what you are saying is they are basically just like councilmen. A rule is a rule. It was broken. There shouldn't be much punishment though should there?

The coaches supplements are GREATER than surrounding areas! If you don't like the law, change it, don't break it! A rule is a rule, whether it is 10$ or 1000$.

Will DD disable comments on this article also? Why exactly do they disable comments? I'm going to guess someone get offended (go figure) and whines to DD.