School Board Rejects Henderson Brothers’ Donation to Repair Scoreboard

Minnesota Vikings linebackers (and brothers) Erin and E.J. Henderson thought they were doing a good deed when they offered to donate money to repair the scoreboard at their high school’s football field, but they and many others were left disappointed when the offer was rejected, WJZ-TV in Baltimore reports.

The scoreboard for the football field at Aberdeen High School (Md.) is old and in need of repairs. The Hendersons offered to donate $20,000 of the $50,000 needed to fix the dilapidated scoreboard, but they were turned down.

The problem is that the donation reportedly was conditional; the Hendersons wanted their family name on the scoreboard.

The school board rejected the offer citing an advertising policy that prevents naming rights on athletic facilities. Five of the nine voters on Harford County’s Board of Education reportedly turned down the proposal.

The Harford County’s Board of Education has also rejected a proposal to name a school’s field after a former football captain who was killed in action in Iraq, so this proves they’re strict about sticking to policy.

“It’s like a slap in the face, honestly,” Erin Henderson said. “Here we are thinking we can try to do something big, trying to give back to the community. Trying to do something positive to help out the people who helped us out in different ways when we were growing up and coming up. And we saw this opportunity.”

The Hendersons reportedly planned to repair the entire field, but instead they’re trying to get their money back.

The Hendersons aren’t the first people we’ve covered who have requested their donation back, but at least their reason was better than the last person’s.