By PAMELA GOULD
Spotsylvania School Board member Donald Holmes doesn't want the division to develop a policy for county athletes that's a knee-jerk reaction to one incident.
He expressed concern at last night's board meeting about treating students as guilty before being convicted of a crime.
And, he said any policy that applies to student-athletes should apply identically to every student involved in any school activity.
Holmes' remarks came as the School Board began considering a new policy that addresses eligibility for student athletes in grades seven through 12. The county currently has no comprehensive policy and set about to craft one after nine Spotsylvania students were arrested following a beating incident in a neighborhood on a January weekend.
The sheriff's office said the incident was caught on video and has charged each of the students with two counts of malicious wounding by mob. Two teens were hospitalized after the Jan. 11 incident that was unrelated to school activity.
The incident came to the School Board's attention after it was learned that two of the teens charged helped Courtland High School win the Battlefield District title in track and field the next month. The criminal cases are scheduled to be presented to the Spotsylvania grand jury in May.
Last night, the board took its first official look at the 10-page policy that addresses guidelines for eligibility, training and practice sessions. Board member Ray Lora and Superintendent Jerry Hill said that athletes traditionally have been held to a higher standard of conduct than other students, and they feel that's appropriate.
"I don't think our division wants to be known as tolerant of behavior that is less than exemplary," Hill said.
"Nobody is wanting to exclude a child from participating in sports," Hill said. "But on the flip side of that, we want people participating who have earned that right."
Lora echoed those sentiments. "Playing sports, representing a school is not an entitlement, it's a privilege," he said. Lora agreed with Holmes that the same guidelines should apply to students in all activities.
The proposed policy adheres to Virginia High School League rules and was crafted after consulting other school districts as well as principals, athletic directors and activities directors. The proposed guidelines include a section addressing students arrested or charged with crimes that occur on or off school grounds. Already, students who had been suspended or expelled could not participate in school sports.
If the policy is approved as worded, no student charged with a crime of violence or with using alcohol or another prohibited substance would be eligible to participate on a sports team as soon as he or she is arrested or charged. Students would also be ineligible if they engaged in conduct that "reflects discredit" upon their team or school.
As worded in a draft obtained yesterday morning, for a first offense, students would be suspended from all activities for 30 days after the court case concluded-regardless of whether found innocent or guilty. For a second offense, students would be suspended for the remainder of the school year after a case concluded.
Scott Worner, supervisor of educational facilities planning, said the wording was not intended to suggest students who are found innocent of a charge would be punished.
Last night, the School Board asked that the policy wording be reviewed but gave preliminary approval of it in a 5-1 vote. Board member Martin Wilder was absent. Holmes cast the dissenting vote.
The policy requires a second approval before it is finalized. That could come as early as the board's next regular meeting on May 11.
Pamela Gould: 540/735-1972
Email: pgould@freelancestar.com