US Department of Education: Provide sports equality

[Grenadier]

The US DOE has recently issued a statement:

http://www.kwqc.com/story/20711539/obama-orders-schools-to-open-sports-to-disabled

It's a move that will affect all American schools. The Obama Administration Friday orders districts to give disabled students equal opportunities in sports. It has local school administrators assessing what's already in place and waiting to see what's next.


Whether it's basketball, swimming, or cheerleading, the Department of Education told schools Friday that disabled students must be given a fair shot to play.

Schools are being told that disabled students can join traditional teams as long as officials can make "reasonable modifications" to accommodate them. If, however, those adjustments fundamentally alter a sport or give the student an advantage, schools are told to offer separate programs. Schools risk losing federal funding if they don't

I understand if a modification can be made where it does not change the sport's function, such as using a light flash in conjunction with a starter pistol for deaf swimmers, or maybe a visible flag waving for a deaf track team member.

If a disabled student is perfectly capable of hanging in there against the competition, and if such a modification can be made easily, then I see no harm in making such an accommodation. If anything, it could certainly open up doors for those who are physically capable of competing, but were shunned simply because of a disability that doesn't affect his ability to compete otherwise.

However, what if it's a sport where simply can't make such accommodations? What if a disabled student who, for the lack of a politically correct term, doesn't have the goods, insists on being given access to the football or basketball team? If the coaches won't give him a spot on the team, and he still wants to play, then what?

The short answer may be to create another such sport team for the disabled students, at what cost would it be? Certain sports can be quite expensive to sponsor.

While I do agree with the intent of the statement, where those who are physically capable of performing in such sports, should be given fair shots, this seems to open things up for gross mishandling.

 

[granfire]

it will be cheaper for the schools to cut the programs they can't alter.

I mean, you can stick your whole team in wheelchairs for Basketball...I am sure the jocks could gain anew appreciation for their abilities...
But you probably won't be able to make such accommodations for football or baseball.

I do believe that was the tried and true method for systems when they were forced to provide sports for girls.

Now, I do believe we have a girl's volleyball team...but non for boys. While it is possible that the boys have basketball, football and baseball to pick from...I find it hard to believe there is no interest...


ah, burocracy.

 

[ballen0351]

Grans right all this will do is cause school to end sports programs.

 

[Big Don]

HUZZAH He fixed another problem that didn't exist

 

[arnisador]

HUZZAH He fixed another problem that didn't exist

The problem does exist.

This is a great idea in theory but it could be very, very expensive...and lawsuits always force a wider interpretation here. I'd like to be all for this, but...

 

[celtic_crippler]

Yet another stride towards eliminating the exceptional and making us all equally mundane and compliant.

One merely needs to walk into their dojo or school to see that we're not "all created equal." The idea of holding back gifted and exceptional people so that the slowest among us doesn't suffer self-esteem issues is having a profoundly negative impact on our culture and ability to progress as a species.

We are all "equal" only in that we have the same basic Rights as human beings. Other than that, we're all different and have different things we excell at to various degrees. This is just another step towards eliminating the "individual."

Prior to 1953 when the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare obtained cabinet level status, the US led the world in education. Since then, we have continued a downward spiral (especially in areas of mathmatics and science) and now rank lower than some 3rd World nations.

Government involvement doesn't seem to make things any better for anyone, so I doubt their involvment here will improve conditions for disabled kids.

BTW, my sister is considered disabled and would never in a million years approve of this. She's physically disabled but possesses a genius level IQ and realizes the utter lunacy of such a policy. She never once entertained the idea of being a football player and instead captained the debate team. Me on the other hand... I was more suited to football. LOL

 

[Big Don]

As with the legless cheerleader wannabe from 2011, no, there really exists no problem here.

 

[Tez3]

I'm guessing very few of you watched the Paralympics last year then.

 

[Tez3]

As with the legless cheerleader wannabe from 2011, no, there really exists no problem here.

My daughter, a Cheer coach, has just read that and said that it's bollocks. The biggest Cheer comp in the world which is covered on television by the big companies such as ESPN all around the world has a section for disabled Cheer which includes stunting, yes wheelchair stunting, she says that this section is pushed by the most famous and the best Cheer leaders there are. Cheer for the disabled is a big thing and among the 'not disabled' it is actively supported. she said there's no reason the girl in the article can't compete, she can still 'stunt' and she can compete along with partners in the disabled sections as well. And yes if this girl was British she'd be welcome at any Cheer Squad here especially my daughters.
http://cheerleading.lovetoknow.com/Wheelchair_Cheerleading

Oh and she can fly http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/28/disabled-girl-gets-spot-on-cheer-team-hundreds-of-miles-away/

 

[jezr74]

I think its a great idea, the last Olympics had a amputee sprinter. Think was for South Africa. He passed all the able bodied trials and made it through fair and square.

As long as PR teachers and coaches etc keep to their standards. Will have few incidents no doubt, but hope it works out.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[granfire]

I'm guessing very few of you watched the Paralympics last year then.

you are looking at it too British....
You forgot the boy who can't play (field) hockey, because it's a 'girl' sport.
and the tons of lawyers lined up to make a name for themselves, not to mention a buck.

yes, some people can make it. And some have already done so, if I am not mistaken. Aside from the kid with the metal legs in London.

But I am looking at it from a bit closer. and I am seeing systems that are already broke as it is. So probably the flagship sports won't be on the chopping blocks, but all the lesser ones - which are all others - are in acute danger.
It's much easier to just take the red pen to it than to modify!

 

[ballen0351]

I'm guessing very few of you watched the Paralympics last year then.

Im not sure World class athletes vs high school kids is a good comparison.

 

[Tez3]

Im not sure World class athletes vs high school kids is a good comparison.

And how do you think these world class athletes started? Every athlete starts at grassroots level.

http://www.sportengland.org/media_centre/press_releases/disablity_funding_announcement.aspx

http://www.efds.co.uk/

You're a bigger country with more facilities etc than us and are known as being 'let's do it' people so all this negativity is surprising. It's not difficult to have all children in a school playng a sport unless of course you only want the ones who can win things.

 

[ballen0351]

And how do you think these world class athletes started? Every athlete starts at grassroots level.

http://www.sportengland.org/media_centre/press_releases/disablity_funding_announcement.aspx

http://www.efds.co.uk/

You're a bigger country with more facilities etc than us and are known as being 'let's do it' people so all this negativity is surprising. It's not difficult to have all children in a school playng a sport unless of course you only want the ones who can win things.

Depending on what the disability is and what sport they want to play. Individual sports like track or swimming no problem let them compete. Team sports like our football kids are going to get hurt. Just because you want to play something does not mean you can or should. That goes for non disabled kids too. Not everyone should make the team.

 

[Tez3]

Depending on what the disability is and what sport they want to play. Individual sports like track or swimming no problem let them compete. Team sports like our football kids are going to get hurt. Just because you want to play something does not mean you can or should. That goes for non disabled kids too. Not everyone should make the team.

It depends on why they are 'on the team', is it because they are playing a sport for enjoyment and physcial activity or as I suspect because the schools just want 'winners.

Like most arguments we seem to have on here, the arguments are either black or white, it seems rarely that any compromises or adjustments can be made, is this how American society is generally? You are either for something or against, no looking to see what can be done, it's well 'they can either play football or they can't', no looking for sports all can do as well as the sports that are exclusiive, no making reasonable adjustments so all children can learn something of value about helping each other, it seems that people here take definite sides and that's it, no moving from that point.

 

[ballen0351]

It depends on why they are 'on the team', is it because they are playing a sport for enjoyment and physcial activity or as I suspect because the schools just want 'winners.

Like most arguments we seem to have on here, the arguments are either black or white, it seems rarely that any compromises or adjustments can be made, is this how American society is generally? You are either for something or against, no looking to see what can be done, it's well 'they can either play football or they can't', no looking for sports all can do as well as the sports that are exclusiive, no making reasonable adjustments so all children can learn something of value about helping each other, it seems that people here take definite sides and that's it, no moving from that point.

In a time where schools all over the country are cutting out school sports for money reasons all this did was give schools an excuse to cut more. I don't know any schools that would not allow a kid that can physically compete with other kids not compete just because they are disabled. If they can physically play and compete fine let them play. If we now must make changes to the sport to let kids that could not normally play then that's not going to work. High school sports are huge and in some cases are the only way kids will get a chance to go to college. If they start ending sports programs because of this law its going to hurt a lot of kids.
In reading the article they mentioned no times where kids that could compete were not allowed to because of a disability. So was this law even needed? Or is it another feel good law that will backfire causing schools to end sports programs because they can't afford to make the required changes to allow kids to play.

 

[Tez3]

You have something as important as children and young peoples education reliant on them being able to do a sport? Dear lord.

 

[celtic_crippler]

It depends on why they are 'on the team', is it because they are playing a sport for enjoyment and physcial activity or as I suspect because the schools just want 'winners.

Like most arguments we seem to have on here, the arguments are either black or white, it seems rarely that any compromises or adjustments can be made, is this how American society is generally? You are either for something or against, no looking to see what can be done, it's well 'they can either play football or they can't', no looking for sports all can do as well as the sports that are exclusiive, no making reasonable adjustments so all children can learn something of value about helping each other, it seems that people here take definite sides and that's it, no moving from that point.

You make the assumption that ALL are capable...not so. That is where your argument falls apart.

Nobody is against wheelchair basketball, but we don't endorse letting a wheelchair team play in the NBA. That's ridiculous.

ALL people are different, have different skill sets, different abilities... things they excel at individually. Why would you endorse not letting those who can excel do so for the sake of someone with unrealistic expectations? That makes no sense to me.

I mean, I can uderstand wanting to live in an idealistic world of rainbows and unicorns but that's simply not the reality of it. A kid with CP simply isn't going to make Seal Team 6 and lowering the standards to allow for something like that just gets a lot of people dead. I know it's an extreme example, but the previous reasoning seems to be failing. LOL

These kids are learning Life-Lessons in school, and sports is part of that lesson plan. Would you prefer they get smacked in the face with reality after they reach adulthood or would you rather they be properly prepared for the world?

 

[Tez3]

CC you miss my point. There's people saying that the disabled won't be allowed to do the sports others do full stop and then it's explained that they can't do this sport because the students who do have to win in order to be able to go to college.
I'm talking about reasonable adjustments being made so that the disabled can do a sport, like wheelchair rugby/basketball both of which are played with able bodied as well, that sports ( and I did say this) are found that the able and the disabled can play together but it seems this isn't going to be a solution because your students aren't playing sport for the sports sake but to win games/competitions etc for the schools. There is always room for those to excel at sports but that's what specialist athletic clubs etc are for to bring the talented on. School sports are for the education and physical training of all pupils regardless of ability, it's to help the children's fitness and well being, with the physical training classes being in the school time, outside school time is the time for the talented athletes to train and compete.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/HLivi/PE

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523114728.htm

Physical education in schools should be just that not a time for those who excel at a sport to edge out those who aren't. We want our children to be as physically fit and healthy as they can be so physical education in schools is important in setting down life patterns. Sports teams are extra curricular where those who excel can receive the coaching they need, in school - sports should be for everyone.

 

[ballen0351]

You have something as important as children and young peoples education reliant on them being able to do a sport? Dear lord.

Yes there are some kids that would have never made it to college without a sports scholarship. Its big busniess here they start recruting for college sports as young as freshman year. A guy on my shifts daughter is in 10th grade and shes already doing campus visits for field hockey.