ACLU contests school’s pay-to-play sports edict
Published: December 21, 2009
Updated: December 21, 2009
PROVIDENCE—A civil liberties group is challenging a North Smithfield school system policy that charges students a fee to play sports.
The Rhode Island affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union said Monday it had filed an administrative complaint with the state education department.
It says the policy, which requires a $150 fee from students seeking to play sports, violates state law. It also asks the school district to return to parents any money they’ve already paid.
School officials have said the fee is a necessary alternative during tough economic times to cutting sports programs. They’ve said they haven’t aggressively pursued the fee from all student athletes.
Superintendent Stephen Lindberg did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday.
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The ACLU doesn’t care THAT much.
If the ACLU is so concerned why don’t they fund the sports programs? Put there money where their mouth is and help a community!
In the 70’s and 80’s most schools had the 3-4 basic sports football basket ball
base ball for girls and boys now add all the additional sports and the cost that go with them its time to decide cut some sports or pay a user fee or raise property tax none are good options but something needs to give
the last post cut off the end of my link, it’s .pdf
Not mentioned in the article, there is a fee waiver application available for low income families, it can be found here: http://www.northsmithfieldschools.com/Athletics/Fee structure/Athletic_management_Waiver_Request_Information_080409.pdf
I’m new to town, when is the next scheduled school committee meeting? Anyone, anyone, Bueller?
Patriot - the booster clubs for all the different sports have been working hard with fundraising. I was among the hundreds of parents who attended School Committee and Town Council meetings. But it all comes down to the taxpayer - we must pony up the funds. Well, plain and simple, you can’t get water from a rock. I don’t have the answer.
$150.00 is more money than a lot of folks can afford right now. Fundamentally, I believe all kids should have access to sports. In order for everyone to have equal access, there cannot be fees. Otherwise public school becomes no different than private school. However, we all know there are expenses that we pay every year that are not part of the school budget. The solution is to make sure that no child is turned away for financial reasons. Those who can pay will. Those who do not have the ability to pay must be funded through another source. Fund raisers and scholarship donations are the way to deal with this. If I have $150.00 to pay for my own kid, I can probably scrape up another $50 to help somebody else’s kid. Sort of the way some of our wealthier citizens, being grateful for their good fortune, could be asked to share a little more of the load in supporting the taxes that pay for education. If you make over $200,000 a year it isn’t as if you will go without anything.
Ana, Then I take back my previous statement.
What would you suggest as an alternative way of raising funds so the school can still offer sports programs?
Have you contacted the School Department to make your options known?
Have you reached out to the other sports-parents and tried to come up with an alternative solution?
Patriot - I am a parent of a student athlete in North Smithfield. I am NOT happy to pay this fee and I assure you that 99% ARE NOT happy either.
Tired-
I don’t disagree with you, I’m the first one to complain about the laundry list of items that we need to buy for our children every year, however the school system has to play the hand that it’s been dealt. If they do not have the money to fund the sports programs, they need to find an alternative.
Personally, I feel that a fundraiser would be better then asking for fees to play, but it is what it is. I can only see it getting worse from here.
I still don’t believe that the ACLU should be involved, I don’t remember reading anywhere that states school sports programs are a “right” or “civil liberty”
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