Parent says daughter was excluded from Special Olympics roster; district FOIA requested

A Waxaw Elementary parent told the Union County Board of Education that her daughter was excluded from this year’s Special Olympics spring games despite previously qualifying and despite Special Olympics Union County confirming the child’s eligibility.

"I still have no answers from the district or the school on why my daughter was excluded from the Special Olympics spring games," said Alexis Dadler during public comment. She said school staff told her the child "didn't meet the guidelines," but that central office would not provide a copy of the criteria used.

Dadler said she filed a public records request and has been contacted by multiple families who reported similar exclusions, including an entire classroom at one school. "I posted a video on social media detailing what occurred and was contacted by multiple families who also had students that were qualified to attend but were left out," she said.

The parent asked the board to produce the selection guidelines, saying the district’s only direct expense for the event is buses and suggesting that selecting fewer students may have been an arbitrary cost-cutting measure. She urged the district to provide the requested guidelines and the factual basis for any exclusions.

The board’s public comment guidelines—reiterated at the start of the meeting—state that the board does not respond during public comment but may ask the chair to request clarification. The board did not provide an immediate response on the record during the meeting.

Next steps: Dadler said she has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain the guidelines. The board did not vote or take formal action on the issue during the meeting.