No Pass, No Attend?? Read This Crap From DeSoto ISD

[KFDM COOP]

No-pass, no attend?

Failing fans may not have spot in stands

DeSoto spectators, like athletes, may be barred from events for grades

In Texas, it's a rite of passage for teenage students to attend high school football games.

In the DeSoto school district, however, students may soon have to pass class just for the right to attend the games.

To bolster academics, officials are discussing a proposal that would keep any student who fails any classes from attending extracurricular events – from band concerts to football games. The "no-pass, no-attend" proposal would transcend no-pass, no-play, the state rule prohibiting a student who fails a class from participating in extracurricular activities.

Although they were concerned some students might cause trouble if banned from school events, DeSoto school board members generally seemed to favor the proposal during a recent meeting.

"The majority of parents I come into contact with want and expect success from their child," board president Janice Pettis Ingram said. "It needs to be worked on some more, but ... let's give them some guidance."

Superintendent Alton Frailey said the suggestion is in the "thinking out loud" stage. He said he would gauge staff and community feedback before recommending the policy for 2006-07.

"The idea came up at a cabinet meeting," Mr. Frailey said. "We have good kids who only pass during their [athletic] season, then they slack off. We thought, 'What if we made them work to come to the games as well?' "

First of its kind?

Officials with the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Association of School Boards and the National Association of School Boards said they had never heard of such a proposal. The national and local experts, however, seemed divided over the idea's merits.

"It's a novelty," said Tom Hutton, staff attorney for the National Association of School Boards. "It would seem to me that this would be an administrative nightmare."

Mr. Frailey, however, said the district could easily handle the situation with electronic identification cards, which would carry academic information.

Preliminary discussion centers on enforcing the proposed policy in grades five through 12 or seven through 12.

The superintendent said that during recent community meetings, a majority of parents said they felt students had little or no academic ambition. Those parents said students generally don't exhibit strong personal discipline.

Students opposed

Most youngsters, however, did exhibit strong opposition to the proposal when asked about it.

"Just because a student doesn't make grades doesn't mean they can't cheer on their team," said DeSoto High ninth-grader Brittany Jackson. "That's crazy."

A sampling of DeSoto parents seemed split on the issue.

"My first concern is that if there's a single parent out there with two or three kids, is there some leeway for them?" said Pam Glover, a parent and president of DeSoto East Junior High School PTA. "They couldn't all attend the event. It's almost like encouraging parents to leave children at home. I think they'd have to work some things out before this becomes policy."

But parent Sandra Blair embraced the concept. She said if her daughter isn't passing she shouldn't be attending events.

"She has to pay the price," Ms. Blair said.

Mike Tiegs, president of the Amber Terrace Intermediate School PTA in DeSoto, supports the idea.

"There have to be consequences," said Mr. Tiegs, who also is a youth baseball coach and enforces no-pass, no-play on his team. "Kids need to get things done in the classroom first."

Shari Dooley Smith, president of the DeSoto Council of PTAs, said if the policy were fair and equitable, she would support it.

"I think you have to have some kind of intervention at a lower level and earlier. You shouldn't have students come to the end of the year and not know they are failing," said Ms. Smith, a former Duncanville teacher.

The "no pass, no attend" idea comes just months after school district officials in nearby Lancaster instituted mandatory homework assignments for students during winter break. Lancaster officials said the move was to help boost district academic scores.

Struggle to motivate

Mr. Hutton said school districts nationally are struggling with meeting educational challenges in the face of budget cuts. Public education has become "highly politicized and scrutinized," he said.

"Everyone is struggling with how to motivate kids," Mr. Hutton said. "Reasonable minds debate on which issues may be overreaching, but the amount of pressure on these institutions is tremendous."

Mr. Hutton questioned the legality of the DeSoto proposal, but Joy Baskin, director of legal services for the Texas Association of School Boards, doesn't see anything illegal about the policy as long as students who fail a class aren't identified publicly.

"It might be difficult to enforce, but if education is a reasonable basis upon which to allow participation – and viewing – then it sounds OK legally," she said.

She said federal and state case law supports school districts' contention that participation and attending extracurricular activities are privileges.

DeSoto High senior Devin Sims understands what the district is trying to do but says the policy would go too far.

"You can't deprive a kid of attending an event," he said.

[Guest GoStangs]

If a student fails a class, he should be at home, grounded, and studying; however, that's something a parent should enforce, not a school district.

[WOSgrad]

If a student fails a class' date=' he should be at home, grounded, and studying; however, that's something a parent should enforce, not a school district.[/quote']

No-pass, no-play was in effect in my household growing up long before the Legislature ever passed that bill. And those events that I would be barred from were not limited to those I participated in.

While I agree with GS that this is the province of the parent...there are many examples where academic achievement (or the lack thereof) has been a determinant of whether a person could participate.

[NDN Band]

If a student fails a class' date=' he should be at home, grounded, and studying; however, that's something a parent should enforce, not a school district.[/quote']

Exactly! And I agree with the above post too. If my grades weren't where they needed to be, there would be a "no pass, no anything" policy enforced.

[Ty Cobb]

It's a great rule!!! I wish more school districts would enforce this. But I do agree, this is a rule that should be enforced by the parents.

[kerusso]

I like it. Should make them eat peanut butter and jelly if they fail too.

[aggieland]

It's a great rule!!! I wish more school districts would enforce this. But I do agree' date=' this is a rule that should be enforced by the parents.[/quote']

:thumbsup

[Jimmy man]

What kind of crap is this! How are they going to know which people failed or pass. By the time they check everyone, the game is going to be over! Stupid people... :bss

[Jimmy man]

No. :bs

[Jimmy man]

If a student fails a class' date=' he should be at home, grounded, and studying; however, that's something a parent should enforce, not a school district.[/quote'] Exactly!!

[KFDM COOP]

I agree! Stupid. No Judge in his right mind would pass this stupid idea.

[jackleg]

I think it is a great idea... for years students in extracurricular activities have had their sport or activity pulled from them for a failing grade... It is about time the druts get something taken away from them... again, Great idea...

[KFDM COOP]

Kids should not be banned from HS football games on Friday Nights. That's my opinion!!

[exbccards76smom]

We practiced "no pass no play" at our house, too. I just wish other parents would do the same thing. I agree, though, it should be the parents restricting the activities, not the school district. The second question is"How do you keep the kids out of or away from the games? Taking it from someone who worked the pass gate at our high school games for 2 years,it's not gonna happen!!

[Guest bulldogbark]

LIke many others I had no pass no do anything legislation in my house growing up many years before it became a law....if I couldnt pass a class my mom and dad felt that I shouldnt be doing anything else but studying. (they never had to enforce the law ) I can bet there are many an HS athelete who just hope to be able to play a few games before the grades come out..then he is through for the year....but that is the way it is now-a-days :shock: :?

[Guest Jody]

If a student fails a class' date=' he should be at home, grounded, and studying; however, that's something a parent should enforce, not a school district.[/quote']

Yes sir, and not in their 400 watt electronic hide-away playing a video game that car-jack cars and shoots cops for credit. Parents need to get off their dead asses and start parenting. Damn shame a school has to do it for them.

Geez, the term "Car-Jack" was not even around when I was in school.

[Jasperdog94]

When are school districts going to stop trying to become the parents? Oh...when parents actually start parenting? Nevermind...

[kicker]

Well, I think school is untill the last bell rings. After that its parent time, not school.

[KFDM COOP]

AMEN!!!