Pembroke committee delays decision on athletic handbook language allowing forfeiture for safety

The Pembroke School Committee debated proposed language on April 15 that would make clear no student or coach be penalized by the district for forfeiting an athletic contest for safety reasons, but the committee suspended a motion and postponed a formal vote to its May 6 meeting.

The language under discussion — proposed by the Policy Subcommittee to be placed in the district athletic handbook — would read in part: “No student athlete or coach shall be penalized by the district in any manner for forfeiting an athletic contest against an opposing team for safety reasons. Safety reasons may include, but are not limited to, issues with the facility, playing field or surface, athletes of the opposite sex on the opposing team, injury, illness, or egregious conduct by athletes or fans.” That wording was read aloud to the committee by Katrina (Policy Subcommittee member).

Policy subcommittee members recommended placing the provision in the student athletic handbook rather than the formal policy manual because, they said, discipline practices for students and coaches are already located in handbooks. The subcommittee also recommended that the district monitor sports-injury data and consider sport-specific safety steps — including, for field hockey, requiring corner/face masks during penalty corners — after national associations issued safety guidance following a serious regional injury.

Committee members disagreed on whether the district should also codify the provision as formal policy. Sue (School Committee member) moved to add the forfeiture language to policy JJIB; David (School Committee member) seconded. Several members argued that placing the language in board policy would give coaches and families clearer, stronger district-level assurance; others agreed handbook placement better matches where discipline practices are typically recorded and where students and families look for rules.

Separately, committee members raised operational impacts. David noted that the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) treats a forfeiture as a loss in tournament rankings; Brian Phillips, Pembroke’s athletic director, confirmed the opponent receives the maximum ranking value for a forfeiture and that a forfeiture can affect statewide tournament metrics. That technical effect — a forfeiture counting as a loss in statewide rankings — was cited as a factor some members wanted parents to understand before schools exercise an opt-out for safety concerns.

The committee agreed the topic is primarily a safety issue and that additional data gathering and public notice are warranted. After extended discussion and several members asking for an explicit agenda item at a later meeting, the chair suspended the motion so the item can be placed on the May 6 agenda with explicit public notice and a formal vote.

Next steps: the committee will return the proposed handbook/policy language to the May 6 meeting for a specific agenda vote, and the Policy Subcommittee will continue collecting injury and equipment data and feedback from coaches, the student advisory committee and regional districts in the Patriot League.