Should independent study kids be allowed to play sports? California school district isn’t sure
The Templeton Unified School District will decide whether all students — including those in independent study — should be allowed to play high school sports.
The question arose after a student at the district’s Independent Study High School was barred from trying out for the Templeton High School soccer team, New Times reported last week.
Under current policy, those students have not been allowed to try out for sports.
The independent student program serves as an alternative option for students to get a diploma while learning in a mostly online environment. There are about 100 students enrolled in the program, from within and outside the district.
Parent Stacey White, who lives within the San Luis Coastal district, raised the question at the Oct. 26 meeting, regarding the youngest of her three sons, who she described as being “wired very differently.”
“He learns differently. He socializes differently. ... He’s a kid who needs an alternative to the on-campus school environment,” she said, noting that “independent study can be very isolating.”
White said her son had participated in sports as a freshman at San Luis Obispo High School and was trying to do the same in Templeton.
“No student should have to fight for their right to participate in extracurricular activities, including sports,” she said.
Templeton board members share concerns
In response, the school board was split on the question at Thursday’s meeting but decided to reconsider the policy and ask school district staff to convene a committee to examine the possibility of allowing independent study students try out for sports at Templeton High School.
“I think our sports teams will be better for it, not worse,” Trustee Jennifer Grinager said during the meeting.
Other nearby school districts, including Paso Robles and Atascadero, allow independent study students to try out for sports, Templeton Assistant Superintendent Ian Trejo said.
However, trustees Ted Dubost, Mendi Swan and Nelson Yamagata appeared to worry that doing so would create an unfair athletic advantage for independent study students because they are not required to attend classes in-person at the high school.
“There is an inequity there that I don’t know how to get around,” Yamagata said during the meeting.
Swan noted she was worried that offering athletics to independent study students would entice others at Templeton High School to transfer to the program even if they did not necessarily need to.
Trustees Grinager and Janel Armet said they were in support of letting independent study students try out for sports. However, the two trustees noted they wanted to be cautious about the change if it were to be implemented.
Armet said during the Thursday meeting that she wanted the committee to examine how technically feasible it would be to make the switch. Issues she mentioned would need to be addressed include independent study teachers inputting grades regularly and students attending strength and conditioning class periods at the high school.
Templeton High School football Coach Don Crow wrote a letter to trustees that was read aloud by Grinager during the meeting, expressing concern about allowing independent study kids to participate in high school sports.
He said that he was worried about the culture of a football team if some teammates did not attend in-person classes together.
Parents who spoke during the meeting said they fully supported the change to let independent study students try out for sports because of the social development opportunities and fairness it could provide.
The board is expected to hear the committee’s findings regarding the feasibility of making the switch early next year and may vote on the matter before the end of next spring.
