ANSON — At the Thursday June 27 Anson County Board of Education meeting, board members weighed the option of allowing home school students to participate in athletic programs sponsored through the school.
Dr. George Truman explained that the school could allow home school students to participate in school sponsored athletic programs, allow only dual enrolled students athletic privilege, or curtail athletic involvement to solely pertain to Anson County school students.
He announced, “I would favor no [home school] students can participate because of the liability involved. We don’t know the insurance issues that might be involved. Also, I don’t know how we would determine eligibility requirements for students that we have no control over.”
Truman did add the caveat, “However, as we move forward as a school district, and we look at how education is evolving, we may have some dual enrollment students down the road. Should we have some dual enrollment students down the road, I would recommend that we reconsider this policy.”
“I agree with you Dr. Truman. As long as we have no accountability, and we have liability, I think we should avoid it. But if the time ever comes, where liability is taken care of, then I am 100 percent for it,” stated Mike Turner.
Marilyn Bennett said, “I agree too, since we have that option.”
Weighing in as well, Carol Gibson added, “ I agree, also that we should not because we do not have the means of monitoring. You have to meet certain parameters to play athletics in the public school system.”
Touching on insurance woes, Gibson continued “and the catastrophic insurance… we would even have to choose that, whether it would be independent or through our schools, so I do agree,” she reiterated.
Board member Linda Davis shared her concern that stripping the right of dual enrolled students from participating in sports could potentially cause a future problem.
Addressing her concern, Truman answered, “We have no dual enrollment capability now, but it may be something that we want to look at down the road.”
He went on to add, “We can home school students through our school system. We can send them the resources they need, we can send them the programs that they need, and they could literally home school their child and would be dual enrolled in Anson County schools. We can monitor their academic achievements, and they would be covered under our group liability.”
Seeking clarification, Davis inquired, “Is this (dual enrollment) something that we can offer or we are choosing not to offer?”
Answering Davis, Dr. Truman responded, “I know the administration is looking at that, particularly in light of some recommendations that may come down the road with our alternative school program.”
Listening to her fellow board members, Bobbi Little stated, “I agree because of the liability and accountability. We don’t have (dual) students anyway… I would agree.”
Stating his position interim Superintendent Ratliff remarked, “this whole business now has become our new business together. We will make recommendations when we offer dual enrollment.”
Turning to Davis, Ratliff continued, “I do hear and see clearly your concern that if we were to do this today it might serve as an impediment to us later. From first hearing, it sounds like that it would not. As long as we have the flexibility to adopt or change the policy, because I don’t think it is a matter of if we, but when. We will gather our troops here and have those discussions, and be prepared, maybe in the near future, to talk about dual enrollment possibilities.”
Taking it to a vote, the motion to limit student involvement in school sports to strictly Anson County school students carried with only one vote cast in dissent, that of Chairwoman Davis.
