<p>[ACLU</a> contests school’s pay-to-play sports edict - Breaking news - bnd.com](<a href=“http://www.bnd.com/breaking_news/story/1061005.html]ACLU”>http://www.bnd.com/breaking_news/story/1061005.html)</p>
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<p>My kids went to an affluent high school. The school also had kids (many of whom played sports) who were “opportunity permits”. (They were bright and/or were good at sports).
We had a wonderful year end banquet that was…$50 per adult, less for kids. ANYONE who couldn’t afford it went free. There were silent auctions and live auctions that netted the school about $50,000 per year. If you could afford the donation you paid/bought and if you couldn’t…no one knew, parents and families came free and celebrated.</p>
<p>Then, about 5 years ago we had a moron superintendent who said the luncheon was elitist and banned it. But he instituted a sports fee…$100 per sport per child in a family…and yes, it was mandatory. I know of more than one family who squirmed and really couldn’t afford it. Too bad…no money your kid doesn’t play.</p>
<p>I can’t believe it. I’m siding with the ACLU.</p>
<p>Ellebud, well why didn’t you folks show the door to the nitwit Superintendent?</p>
<p>Lake Jr. attends a fairly affluent public school, but I found myself opening my own wallet for game gear and the rest of the equipment associated with his sport. And, the school team has had 3 fundraisers since the start of the school year. And I ask myself, where are the local tax revenues that could go to paying for all this stuff? And there may be families in the area whom cannot afford the costs. What about those kids? I suspect that’s where most of the donated/funraising money is headed.</p>
<p>That particular superintendent lasted a year. And the people who followed him (I believe there have been 3 or 4 in the last 6 years) won’t stand up. It is “easier” to collect (demand) money than to organize a luncheon, get a speaker (we were lucky and got OUTSTANDING people to talk), get donations…etc. etc. So, much easier to send a letter home, demanding the money. Then…see the sports secretary if you haven’t turned the money in…And then bench a kid because they haven’t paid.</p>
<p>Our school has a “bus fee”. Plus, uniform fees. In addition to fundraisers. It does get pricey. </p>
<p>It seems to be the nature of the beast.</p>
<p>Our school district offers sports, uniforms and the require physical to ALL students. The kids have to pay for their required footwear (shoes/cleats) and personal equipment - field hockey sticks.
The athletic department holds two fundraisers a year - no participation is required. The boosters run concessions and help support the athletic budget.</p>
<p>Justamom,</p>
<p>Those students are fortunate. </p>
<p>I figure my D’s sports fees for just her school’s teams (she is on two) will be</p>
<p>$200 bus fees 2009-10 school year
$300 uniform fees
$50 physical</p>
<p>plus all the fundraisers. So far, for just the winter sports fundraisers, there have been two fundraisers, already. </p>
<p>This is all in addition to sports club fees, camps and clinics. Add in travelling costs for tournaments for high school and club teams. And her sports aren’t the most “expensive” ones out there, either. </p>
<p>I can see the point of the ACLU. Unfortunately, how do you balance a budget that is already hemorraghing money? In our state and school district, if the school had to pay for all of these additional fees, than I doubt if we could afford to offer those sports, at all.</p>
<p>re. sports fees (and band fees and xyz fees)</p>
<p>I live in Mass which has prop 2 1/2 which limits the yearly increase in property taxes … since prop 2 1/2 came into effect the number of fees we pay to pay for things no longer covered by our property taxes has increased dramatically … and sports team fees are among the new fees</p>
<p>What about fees for students participating in other activities? Dance team had to buy their own uniforms as well as pay for transportation and competition fees. Had the team been considered a “sport” those charges would have been covered by the school. </p>
<p>I personally don’t have a problem with the fees as long as students whose parents cannot afford it can get the fee waived. I would not like to see a kid not be able to participate because of money. But the reality is that with school budgets being cut these days this is what some schools have to do.</p>
<p>In my suburban MA town - in the top third income-wise, by the way - free stuff ain’t free no more.</p>
<p>Wanna ride the bus to school? Unless your kid is grade k-6 AND you live MORE than 2 miles from your school, you will pay $200/year. Per kid.</p>
<p>Wanna play a sport? $125/student/sport. No family max.</p>
<p>Wanna join an extracurricular club? Including NHS or a service organization? Get elected as a class officer? One $25 fee gets you unlimited clubs.</p>
<p>Wanna stay after school and ride the late bus? Last year you could do so, for a dollar. This year - no late bus.</p>
<p>So if your kid rides the bus, plays 2 sports and joins a club, $475/year for our “public” high school. Got 2 kids? Double it.</p>
<p>But ALL of these fees are waived if you qualify for Free or Reduced lunch. </p>
<p>The ACLU won’t win. It’s been taken to court multiple times in MA, most recently by a parent on Cape Cod who said it was an illegal tax. The courts had zero sympathy. There is no constitutional right to ride a bus to school, or to play a sport. There’s only a right to a free public education. How you get to school, and what you do after school, is up to you.</p>
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<p>I hope not. As a huge supporter of high school sports, my worry is that the ACLU’s case might result in a requirement that high schools cut all sports, if they cannot afford to fund them.</p>