http://www.omaha.com/article/20130125/NEWS/701259928/1694#schools-required-to-include-students-with-disabilities-in-sports-programs
In a groundbreaking ruling, Education secretary Arne Duncan announced a directive on Thursday requiring all public schools to make "reasonable modifications" to their sports programs that would allow students with disabilities to participate. If they choose not to modify programs, then they must create other athletic programs that would be comparable.
Spokespeople at the Education department said that this does not mean that disabled students will be guaranteed a spot on existing teams. It does mean, though, that adaptations must be made.
For example one student in Chicago who is blind, wrestles with his high school team. His accommodation is that the opponent has to stay in physical contact with him in matches.
I have to date myself here and tell you that I remember when my high school had no sports for girls! Can you imagine that? True, though. I was lucky enough to be on the very first girls basketball team that my high school offered.
So it was with great pleasure that I read this article.
Questions will begin: How much will this cost? How will we ever be able to accommodate students with all different disabilities? How will we go about training teachers to understand the needs of disabled students?
No one knows the answers to these questions...but that certainly does not mean we should wait to implement this directive.
Sports are important for everyone...fitness, team work, a sense of belonging...all vital elements to living a productive life...
I am so happy that all students will now be given a chance to experience high school sports.
check out the results of this survey:
Should disabled kids get their own school sports programs, or be integrated into existing programs? (Poll Closed)
Total Votes: 645
How would you weigh in?
I like the idea of allowing kids who have disabilities to participate in sports. However, I do not think they should be given guaranteed spots on existing teams. Schools should create a separate team for those kids with disabilities to play against another school’s team with kids with disabilities. In the case of the blind wrestler, I have no problem with an athlete that is handicapped, playing on a varsity team, if he can actually compete. If the handicapped player can’t really compete at the same level as other kids on the team, then I think it is up to the coach to keep him/her on the team, not a law requirement.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a great idea to allow kids with disabilities to participate in athletics. As for the controversy between allowing the kids on existing sports programs or their own program I think the kids should have their own program. THEN, the disabled kid can decide for himself whether or not they want to play in their program or the existing one. I do not like the idea of separating people because they are different, although in this case I can see a reason for the separation. Agreeing with Brendan's previous post, I think the kids should compete if they can compete on the same level of their competitors. All in all I am in favor of this directive, given a few tweaks maybe.
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned in the previous two posts, I think it's great that everyone is being given an opportunity to experience the fun and competition of high school sports. Like Brendan said, and Sean agreed with though, if you are making everybody else play down to the level of the disabled kid, it's not going to be fair, let alone fun, for the rest of the kids. Giving them their own sports programs might not be fun either if they can't spend time with their friends and it might make them feel isolated. In addition, if they are actually really good at the sport they play, not allowing them to play with the level of competition that everybody else is would be defeating the purpose. So I'd have to say that I'd vote "C," I'm not really sure where I stand.
ReplyDeleteHey I remember back when my high school didn't let girls play sports too. Oh wait...
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that kids with disabilities will get a fair chance to play now. Sports and competition, along with having fun, are an important part of high school life. As for whether or not a new team should be made for people with disabilities I'm not as sure where I stand. Depending on the sport and the disability the person has it could be possible to make a team, or it could be completely impossible. I really think it'll have to be an individual decision each school will need to make on it's own.