THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 12, 1997 TAG: 9701140443
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 148 lines
The academic requirements to participate in sports and some other extracurricular activities would remain unchanged under the primary proposal from a school division committee.
Unless the Virginia High School League changes its requirement that students pass five classes to participate, the Beach public schools should continue to enforce the same rule, the Academic Standards Committee recommended.
The league governs public high school sports, forensics, debate and some other activities.
However, in an administrative recommendation, Superintendent Timothy R. Jenney has suggested gradually phasing in a 2.0, or C minimum, semester grade point average beginning with next year's freshman class.
The requirement would include ninth- and 10th-graders the next year, ninth- through 11th-graders in 1999 and all high school students in 2000.
Although the 12-member Academic Standards Committee favors no change, members offered an alternate recommendation similar to Jenney's in their report.
The group, comprising administrators, student activity coordinators, teachers, coaches and parents, suggested that students maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average, with one probationary semester during a student's high school career in which the league minimum must be met although the student's GPA may fall below a 2.0.
Under Virginia High School League rules, a student could have a D minus average but continue to play sports. While the organization's responsibilities go beyond athletics, much of the discussion in the Beach and elsewhere has focused on the impact the change would have on sports.
The board is expected to vote on the issue as early as Feb. 4.
Jerry Deviney, the committee's chairman and principal of Ocean Lakes High School, told the school board that data showed only isolated programs where students performed poorly. It was the unanimous opinion of the committee that any rule change should come from the league and apply statewide.
Deviney said student-athletes benefit from their participation in sports in several ways, including fewer disciplinary problems than the student body as a whole.
``We believe it is important to preserve the opportunity for (athletic) participation,'' Deviney said.
The committee's report reads in part, ``(The current rule) establishes our commitment to maintaining the proper balance between a student's classroom performance and his involvement in extended activities such as athletics, drama, debate, forensics, and school publications.''
Jenney, a former high school wrestling coach, said he understood the issue was a volatile one about which people feel deeply. However, he said, the division needed to remain focused on its primary mission.
``Over the years, we have seen example after example of individuals rising to the level of expectation,'' he said. ``It is incumbent upon the Virginia Beach City Public Schools to provide a basic academic foundation and an optimistic expectation for its young people to successfully achieve that basic foundation.''
Jenney cited increasingly stringent NCAA requirements being placed on college athletes. He said that by gradually introducing new standards in the Beach, students would have a chance to adjust, and support systems for remediation could be developed.
Statistics collected by the committee show most of the division's athletes would have no problem meeting a 2.0. For this past fall, 96 percent of field hockey athletes, 96 percent of cheerleaders and 95 percent of boys cross country participants had a 2.0 or better, for instance. Among football players, however, 30 percent could have been disqualified by the higher requirement. For fall athletics as a whole, 86 percent of the students would have met the 2.0 minimum.
For 1995-96, 80 percent of all athletes had a 2.0 or better. The sports that were farthest off the mark were football, where 40 percent of the students had less than a 2.0, and boys basketball, where 44 percent were below the proposed minimum.
No grade point average for all Beach high school students was available, although that number is being calculated at the request of a board member.
Portsmouth and Suffolk have begun requiring a 2.0 minimum GPA, which applies to participation in all extracurricular activities. The Virginia Congress of Parents and Teachers passed a resolution in November encouraging local school boards to require a 2.0 for participation in interscholastic activities.
Several board members requested additional data, and some expressed concerns about what would happen to students who were drawn to school because of athletics but might not be able to meet the higher GPA.
Others said, however, that they were concerned by the performance of some student-athletes.
``Candidly, I was horrified by some of these statistics,'' board member Nancy Guy said, citing the football and boys basketball number in particular. ``What are we preparing these children for?'' ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
RESPONSES TO THE PROPOSAL
The committee studying the proposed 2.0 rule for students in the
Beach schools received survey responses from 90 fall sport coaches,
537 fall sport students and 630 parents of fall sport students about
such a change. Almost 60 percent of coaches, about 65 percent of
parents, and less than 40 percent of the students supported
requiring a C average. The following are some of their written
responses:
COACHES:
``Raising the GPA would cost a few athletes in the short run, but
raise graduation rates, work habits in school and college
preparation, and enrollment in the long run.''
``Adolescents tend to achieve at the levels you set.''
``If it is required, the athletes can do it. I think it will be
very positive.''
``Participation in athletics, especially team sports, is very
beneficial. I think taking away the opportunity to participate in a
school activity such as athletics can be detrimental for many
at-risk students.''
``As long as students are doing the best they can, the standard
could hurt. Sometimes sports keep kids in school and you should look
at those aspects. Changing the standards to `look good' to the
public should not be a reason to change!''
``I would not raise grade point average requirements without
offering help to allow student-athletes to meet the higher
standard.''
PARENTS:
``I feel that if a child wants to play in a sport that he
chooses, his interest in academics should be first.''
``Raise the standards, 1.0 isn't really a standard! What `favor'
are we doing these students by setting such horribly low
standards?''
``I think it should be higher than 2.0.''
``Just do it!''
``Has it occurred to the school board that many children are not
capable of achieving grades which they may feel are reasonable?''
``By raising the GPA you put more kids on the street. We need to
increase participation.''
``Sports have helped to keep my son out of trouble. Due to a
learning disability, his grades have not been the best.''
``Although I agree with the 2.0 standards, I think it should
start in a few years to let the students have a chance to raise
their grades before they are put under a new system right away.''
STUDENTS:
``School is for education, not for sports. Education should
outweigh all other circumstances.''
``I think it may keep some really great athletic people off the
teams, but it would encourage us to get better grades.''
``What happens if I take a hard class and make a D and another
person takes an easy class and makes a C, will they be weighed the
same?''
``Football Good. Report cards baaaddd!''
``If you apply this to athletes they should apply to all clubs.''
``Great idea, but if kids are taken off teams because of grades,
will they really spend their extra time studying? Something to think
about.''