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Student urges board to let struggling students participate in activities
Summary
Gresham High sophomore Mark Spolitak told the board that banning students who are failing from extracurriculars is "unjust" and asked the district to help students retain access to activities despite OSAA constraints; Chair Petersen asked the superintendent to follow up.
Mark Spolitak, a sophomore at Gresham High School, addressed the board during public comment to urge that students be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities even if their academic performance is poor. Spolitak said it "sounds unjust that students be banned from participating because they are struggling in class," and cited the Bill of Rights for Children and Youth adopted by the City of Portland and Multnomah County in 2006 as a policy reference for broader access to extracurriculars.
Spolitak acknowledged the district's limited control because the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) has rules that affect eligibility, and asked the board to "do anything they can to help students who may be failing." After the comment, Chair Blake Petersen asked the superintendent to follow up with Mr. Spolitak after the meeting.
