Band Students And Eligibility Policy

[luhmuh]

What is the name of your state? Ohio
Tonight our School Board is about to pass a 1.0 GPA "WEEKLY" Eligibility Policy on students from 7th to 12th grade.
The school has always had an Eligibility Policy concerning Athletes. Student Athletes getting 2 F's on their report card, became ineligible to play sports for 9wks.This new policy is written in two parts,the 1st part is that students must have a 1.0 GPA, and be passing 5, 1credit courses. If they do not they are ineligible for "Competition"
The second part of the policy is for "Athletes, in Season", cumulative average grade is used, and if they have a c- or below their coaches/teachers/parents will be notified, and they will be assigned additional work to bring up their grade. Their is no mention of them being ineligible at any time. The School has decided to put Band under this policy. My point to them is that there is a Law on the books, Senate Bill 37, passed by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio in 1999, which states:"Interscholastic Extracurricular Activity" does not include any activity included in the school district's graded course of study. Band at the school receives 1 credit, and is an elective. This policy if passed will stop our Marching Band from going to Saturday Contests, if one or more of our students who play special parts in the show, is absent because of ineligibility. We have 32 band members, and no one on the bench to take their place, like Football. I believe Band was included on this policy, not to oversee grades like they are saying, but to hide the real story, being that this policy is needed for "Star" football players who were ineligible due to grades last report card, and once in place this new WEEKLY policy makes them eligible to play. If anyone could shed light on this subject, I would appriciate it. Is the school breaking the Law? What can we do?

 

[Happy Trails]

What is the name of your state? Ohio
Tonight our School Board is about to pass a 1.0 GPA "WEEKLY" Eligibility Policy on students from 7th to 12th grade.
The school has always had an Eligibility Policy concerning Athletes. Student Athletes getting 2 F's on their report card, became ineligible to play sports for 9wks.This new policy is written in two parts,the 1st part is that students must have a 1.0 GPA, and be passing 5, 1credit courses. If they do not they are ineligible for "Competition"
The second part of the policy is for "Athletes, in Season", cumulative average grade is used, and if they have a c- or below their coaches/teachers/parents will be notified, and they will be assigned additional work to bring up their grade. Their is no mention of them being ineligible at any time. The School has decided to put Band under this policy. My point to them is that there is a Law on the books, Senate Bill 37, passed by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio in 1999, which states:"Interscholastic Extracurricular Activity" does not include any activity included in the school district's graded course of study. Band at the school receives 1 credit, and is an elective. This policy if passed will stop our Marching Band from going to Saturday Contests, if one or more of our students who play special parts in the show, is absent because of ineligibility. We have 32 band members, and no one on the bench to take their place, like Football. I believe Band was included on this policy, not to oversee grades like they are saying, but to hide the real story, being that this policy is needed for "Star" football players who were ineligible due to grades last report card, and once in place this new WEEKLY policy makes them eligible to play. If anyone could shed light on this subject, I would appriciate it. Is the school breaking the Law? What can we do?

I'm still researching but I did find this link interesting.
http://www.bcsoh.org/policy/Chapter_b.htm

Do you have an 'Ohio State High School League'?

 

[luhmuh]

Reply For Happy Trail

I am not aware of an Ohio State High School League. Thankyou for posting!

 

[Happy Trails]

The Ohio High School Athletic Association's mission is to regulate and administer interscholastic athletic competition in a fair and equitable manner while promoting the values of participation in interscholastic athletics as an integral part of a student's educational experience. The OHSAA represents its member schools by recognizing and promoting academics, the safety of participants, good citizenship and lifelong values as the foundation of interscholastic athletics.


http://www.ohsaa.org/

 

[luhmuh]

I am aware of the OHSAA...

I have read info on their website, and my son played football in high school. I do not understand how a school can place Eligibility on a "Class" which in this case is Band/Music. These students get 1 credit for this course. They have points deducted from their grade, if they miss practice, or miss the "Test" which is Saturday Marching Band Contest. If a student does a no - show on Saturdays band contest, 50 points are deducted from their grade, and reflect on thier report card. The Band Director asked the administration if this policy is passed, how is he suppose to grade the ineligible student that misses Saturdays contest. The Administration told him that he would not deduct points that day, but instead it would be considered "Excused"...
Band is not extracurricular, but rather co-curricular, meaning a grade is attached. Further more, once this policy passes, we have been advised that the Athletic Director, not the Band Director, will over see the weekly grades for the band students. Can you make any sense of that?

 

[Happy Trails]

I have read info on their website, and my son played football in high school. I do not understand how a school can place Eligibility on a "Class" which in this case is Band/Music. These students get 1 credit for this course. They have points deducted from their grade, if they miss practice, or miss the "Test" which is Saturday Marching Band Contest. If a student does a no - show on Saturdays band contest, 50 points are deducted from their grade, and reflect on thier report card. The Band Director asked the administration if this policy is passed, how is he suppose to grade the ineligible student that misses Saturdays contest. The Administration told him that he would not deduct points that day, but instead it would be considered "Excused"...
Band is not extracurricular, but rather co-curricular, meaning a grade is attached. Further more, once this policy passes, we have been advised that the Athletic Director, not the Band Director, will over see the weekly grades for the band students. Can you make any sense of that?

Yes, I do understand. You are also correct that it is not extracurricular.

Sec. 3313.535. (A) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, "INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY" MEANS A PUPIL ACTIVITY PROGRAM THAT A SCHOOL OR SCHOOL DISTRICT SPONSORS OR PARTICIPATES IN AND THAT INCLUDES PARTICIPANTS FROM MORE THAN ONE SCHOOL OR SCHOOL DISTRICT. "INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY" DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY ACTIVITY INCLUDED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S GRADED COURSE OF STUDY.

http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=122_SB_75

So that would be where my argument begins. Are you planning on attending the meeting? Are there other who feel as you do?

 

[luhmuh]

School Board Meeting...

I am not able to attend the meeting, but have sent someone in my place, to give the facts. The meeting is going on as I type, and I am hoping this policy will be stopped. The Superintendent was sent the information concerning Senate Bill 37 and the law. As of yet, she has not returned phone calls or replied. I am waiting to get a phone call to see if it passed..I will let you know..and thankyou so much for your help...

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

So, are you the one raising an idiot for a child, who has trouble with obtaining higher than a D average?

IAAL

 

[luhmuh]

Dear IAAL...

First of all you are off topic...This has to do with the Law. Secondly to answer your question, no I am not raising an idiot for a child, nor does he have problems with grades, in fact he is one of the A students who will be punished and not be able to go to Saturdays contest if any of the other 31 students become ineligible. My son has been in marching band since the 6th grade, and is presently a Junior in High School. If you take the time and check, you will see that alot of students who excel in not only school, but in life, are or were Band Students. Four of our Band students have gone on to college with FULL scholarships, and 0 Athletes have done that...Now, I am so happy that I have informed you, maybe now you will not feel like such an idiot....

 

[stealth2]

I personally have trouble disagreeing with the policy. If my kid was unable to maintain a D average, you can bet your sweet patootie that the last place s/he'd be on a Saturday was in a game or at a band competition - and I frankly wouldn't give a damn how that may or may not affect team/band mates. Or participating in drama class w/e performances, or art class shows, or choral performances, or anything else nonacademic. Sorry.

 

[luhmuh]

So...you would

So...You would be fine with the policy, even though there is a LAW that says you cannot place an eligibility requirement on a class, and you would be fine with the policy, if your child was a straight A student, in Band, and YOU had spent hundreds of dollars paying for Band camp where your child learns the show that is marched at Saturdays contest, and still be fine with the policy when they tell your A+ child.."sorry, but we can't go to Contest without the tuba player, and he is ineligible." So thats fine with you? Well I have 32 parents that say the opposite. I am President of our Band Booster Organization, and I guess I am here to do the "Right" thing, unlike you...who dosent give a damn. So...How about we try and get an Eligibility Policy placed on..say..Math Class..then not let them take the "Test" Same thing...(Now go back to my original post and READ the facts)

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

Yeah, you're the parent of the idiot, alright. You can't hide it, and you wouldn't be working at this that hard if it wasn't true. It's too bad that some of your apparent intelligence didn't flow to the next generation. Blame it on your spouse's genes.

IAAL

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

TOP 10 reasons your kid isn't playing in the marching band - -

NUMBER 10: Your marching band consists of you, your Uncle Bob, and his touch-tone phone.

NUMBER 9: Your son is so fat, when he appears in public the marching band plays "Hail To The Beef".

NUMBER 8: On special occasions, have the marching band play Fleetwood Mac hits.

NUMBER 7: It's not his grades. They actually won, but the marching band failed their drug tests.

NUMBER 6: When your son was cut, the marching band played "Pop Goes the Weasel."

NUMBER 5: Your son plays the Steel Drum - - banging on the principal's car with a hammer.

NUMBER 4: Your son was kicked out because tried to change the name of the marching band to "Crosby, Stills, Nash and [his name]."

NUMBER 3: Your son sucks at playing the bagpipes.

NUMBER 2: Your kid gave up on marching band - - now he started collecting used Band-Aids.

AND NOW, the NUMBER ONE reason your kid isn't playing in the marching band - -

Instead of saying "band", he's getting cute and pronouncing it, "Bandolero".


IAAL

 

[stealth2]

So...You would be fine with the policy, even though there is a LAW that says you cannot place an eligibility requirement on a class, and you would be fine with the policy, if your child was a straight A student, in Band, and YOU had spent hundreds of dollars paying for Band camp where your child learns the show that is marched at Saturdays contest, and still be fine with the policy when they tell your A+ child.."sorry, but we can't go to Contest without the tuba player, and he is ineligible." So thats fine with you? Well I have 32 parents that say the opposite. I am President of our Band Booster Organization, and I guess I am here to do the "Right" thing, unlike you...who dosent give a damn. So...How about we try and get an Eligibility Policy placed on..say..Math Class..then not let them take the "Test" Same thing...(Now go back to my original post and READ the facts)

The only thing I give a damn about is that kids are doing what they should be doing in school - learning. Band, while a class, isn't something I would lose sleep over my kid getting a poor grade in, regardless of the reason. Yeah, yeah, yeah - I pay for an instrument and lessons and all that, too. But it's nowhere near as important to me as Math, English, Literature, History, etc - you know, those pesky academic subjects. So yeah, I'd rather my kid was penalized if it meant another kid is actually going to be able to perform academically. What a concept! Expecting kids to go to school and learn. Stick that in your tuba, babe.

 

[luhmuh]

I should have read..

I should have read the fine print when becoming a member of this board, I missed the part that said 90% of the people posting here are the same people who have a low IQ, can't read FACTS, LAWS, or anything past the spelling of "Duh" Please people...do your kids a favor..get informed, stay informed, and get off the sauce...Im leaving now for a forum that deals with facts, so stick that in your jock strap Jed...