Ballston Spa high‑school student tells board she was placed in fitness class, says doctor's note was ignored

Katie Lance, a Ballston Spa High School student, used the Jan. 8 public‑comment period to tell the Board of Education she had been assigned to the high‑school fitness class despite submitting a doctor's note and despite an earlier option system the district presented.

Lance said students were presented three gym options — lifetime activities, team sports and fitness — and that students believed they could choose. “When I had the choice to choose, I made sure to only do something that was good for me, but that chance was taken for me,” Lance said. She told the board many freshmen in her class reported they did not get the option they had selected.

Lance said coaches told students not everyone could get their preferred option when groups were full. She described a class session in which students were asked to attempt one‑rep max lifts and said one classmate “almost seriously injured” himself because students had not received adequate instruction for the exercise. Lance said she had a doctor’s note excusing her from upper‑body lifting but that her gym coach had disregarded the note and required her to participate. She told the board she was left with “Protect my health and safety or take a 0 in class.”

The board heard Lance’s two‑minute comment under the established public‑comment rules; the transcript records no formal board response during public comment. Lance identified herself and her residency before speaking. No additional evidence of subsequent staff follow‑up or formal board direction appears in the meeting record.

The board subsequently moved on to approve minutes and routine business.