news-record.com

NEWS

Rockingham schools accused of illegally favoring boys' baseball

Article
Comments (23)

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

(Updated 8:56 am)

By Morgan Josey Glover
Staff Writer

Federal officials are investigating complaints that female softball athletes in Rockingham County high schools do not receive the same treatment as male baseball athletes.

Jim Bradshaw, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education, wrote in an e-mail to the News & Record that its Office for Civil Rights received complaints in June and that it has not determined their merit.

Bradshaw wrote: “They are being investigated together to determine whether the school system discriminates against female student athletes by failing to provide them with equivalent equipment and supplies, coaching and assignment of compensation of coaches, locker rooms, practice and competitive facilities, and medical and training facilities and services.”

Members of the Office for Civil Rights with the U.S. Department of Education talked to students and employees at all four high schools during a visit last week even though the complaints originated from Reidsville High, said Superintendent Rodney Shotwell. Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in all education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.

Bradshaw would not give further details on the investigation. And neither Reidsville High principal Jonathan Craig nor athletics director Ted Jones would comment.

Shotwell said he expects to hear from the Office for Civil Rights on its findings in January. The superintendent acknowledged that the outdoor facilities for the softball and baseball teams are not equal.

“I just know something will have to be done,” Shotwell said. “I don’t know what it’s going to be yet.”

Reidsville’s softball team plays home games at Jaycee Park, which is about a mile from the school and has no storage for the team’s equipment, Shotwell said. The baseball team plays and stores its equipment on campus. It’s not unusual for schools to lack the space or money to accommodate all sports teams and to rely on parents for funding.

Former softball player Cassie Martin was not part of the complaint but she said that players had to cover more of their expenses than the baseball team and that they did not receive softball letterman patches they earned.

“I put in four years of hard work to play for that team and raised money for them,” said Martin, who graduated from the school in June. “For them to not take us seriously and give us all our letters is frustrating.”

Shotwell said he tried to look at the visit in a positive light. “Anytime somebody can come in from the outside,” he said, “maybe they’ll see something we don’t see.”

Contact Morgan Josey Glover at 627-4881, Ext. 119, or morgan.josey@news-record.com

Advertisement | Advertise with Us

Comments

View Comments

This article has been closed to new comments. Comments are generally closed after 14 days. However, comments may be closed earlier at the discretion of the News & Record.

Inappropriate content? Please report abuse.

northoftheboro

December 9, 2009 - 6:43 am EST

Good God, here we go again. First, competitors have to stop winning to keep from harming the losing team's "self esteem", then we have to change mascots as to not offend any ethnic groups (never mind if it actually brings awareness to an area Indian tribe and encourages others to study their culture), and now we have to make sure girls' teams don't have to spend a penny more or drive one mile farther than their male counterparts in school athletics to avoid a lawsuit. Let's just disband all high school sports altogether and put those surplus funds into the classrooms since the Democrats in Raleigh keep raiding the state education budget. That way, no one's feelings get hurt and we can simultaneously "do something for the children" (remember the Dems excuse to push through the NC "Education" Lottery). I hate to be so sarcastic, but this political correctness is getting ridiculous.

CherylP25

December 9, 2009 - 8:41 am EST

So, what are we teaching our children - boys are more important? Girls don't have a right to speak up and request the same things that boys get?

Bilbo

December 9, 2009 - 10:17 am EST

I would remind the writer that Rockingham County's population is 70% Republican. So the chances are good that the original complaint was made by a disgruntled Republican parent of a schoolchild. And while this may be an incosequential point...so was the writer's original post blaming Democrats. This is an issue of fairness...and of course in Rockingham County the only fairness is for white, Christian males....all others--back of the line...

kidsincarolina

December 9, 2009 - 10:24 am EST

Bilbo, you obviously don't live in Reidsville or have kids at RSH, or you would know that white kids are hardly the "majority" there, and certainly do NOT get preferential treatment (see also: football team).

Bilbo

December 9, 2009 - 11:09 am EST

RSH is also the smallest district in Rockingham county as white flight has led to redistricting to send children to RCHS or Morehead. So, yes, maybe at Reidsville, you may be tangetly correct. At all the other schools in the County...my statement holds true....

angie123

December 9, 2009 - 7:56 am EST

I'm glad they're investigating and I hope they stop over at Guilford County too. I have often noticed how unfair the baseball and softball facilities are in our schools. They girls' fields can be filled with rocks, no fencing, no bleachers, and no lights. Then look at the boys' fields - plush green grass, lighted fields, etc.

It's not fair at all.

cougarwrestling

December 9, 2009 - 11:38 am EST

At RCHS it's the girls basketball team that gets favoritism. They need to investigate why the wrestling team doesn't get support. We haven't had new uniforms in over 5 years. We don't have funds to participate in tournaments. Other county schools will have 50+/- matches and we will be lucky to have 20 by the end of the year. RCHS does not provide us with an on campus wrestling facility nor transportation to that facility. We have to practice off campus where they don't even allow us to turn on the heat.

Yes, academics should be first but without the sports look at how may kids might turn to sex, drugs & alcohol in their spare time. We need to keep as many kids involved as possible, therefore it should be a responsiblity of the schools to make sure all teams are equally sponsored. Favoritism over any sport or gender is not fair!

1977

December 12, 2009 - 10:59 pm EST

I agree, there needs to be something done about a practice location for the wrestling team. But, you should also know that the boys and girls tennis teams, girls JV and boys jv basketball practice off campus at RCC. The swim team has to buy their own uniforms every year, out of pocket, for what the team as a whole can't raise. You might also want to know that the marching band hasn't gotten new uniforms in 25 years (the school is 33 years old). I think it's unfair to say the school "doesn't support wrestling". I'm sure if the school had millions of dollars floating around,they would give every extra cirricular activty everything it needed. Unfortunatley, they don't. Thus, they have to do the best they can with what they have. Exactly how does the girls basketball team recieve "favoritism"? They have to buy their shoes, and if I recall correctly, they got new unfiforms this year, for the first time in well over 5 years, looking at old years books, maybe even close to ten years. It would be great if RCHS, and all the other schools for that matter, had facilities for EVERY SINGLE team. Unless this county runs into some serious money, we'll have to learn to do the best with what we have and be grateful to at least have the chance to compete.

whyus

December 9, 2009 - 9:50 am EST

In the real world, it is about economics (men's vs. women's sports). Just look at the ACC Basketball Tournaments and you will see why men's sports are focused on more heavily. I'm not saying it is fair (Title 6 stuff) but money talks.

9155

December 9, 2009 - 10:14 am EST

I'm very upset by this story. Boys and girls are exactly the same in every respect and should be treated the same. A good solution would be to combine the boys and girls teams and alternate boys and girls at each position, changing each inning. You could have mixed fields, but each position would have to change after each inning. I,m also upset about the lack of boys on the cheerleading squads. There should be an equal amount of boys and girls. I don't think you would have to worry about any hanky-panky going on. We had one boy who would stand down on the end and cheer with the girls at basketball games when I was in school, and never, ever, not even one time was he ever accused of messing with any of the girls.

mr. m

December 9, 2009 - 6:17 pm EST

i agree that girls sports should be funded equally but the idea of having all sports have both girls and boys in them has no chance of ever happening. theirs a reason their seperate in the first place. and its not to say boys are better than girls. But the the thing about schools doing extra for football, if that team is winning state championships all the time why would you not give them more money, to keep that going.

kidsincarolina

December 9, 2009 - 7:37 pm EST

Maybe so the other teams at the school will have the same chance to win championships? No one is asking to take $$ away from football or any other sports. But there should be at least some equality in how the kids are treated, coached, and the facilities they get to play in.

whyus

December 9, 2009 - 10:19 am EST

9155-you are onto something here. I would also suggest co-ed changing and shower facilities to save money.

kidsincarolina

December 9, 2009 - 10:22 am EST

It's about time something was done at RSH! I graduated there over 20 years ago, and absolutely nothing has changed regarding girls sports. Everything doesn't have to be about FOOTBALL folks! Any team could be champions if they had the resources that are put into HS football teams.

These programs don't aim to take away from football, but to enhance ALL sports at every school and make it an even playing field (no pun intended). As for the first poster here, you obviously don't have daughters who play sports on sub-par fields without adequate equipment and training. I'm guessing you don't have daughters at all or you would be more in favor of female athletics being treated fairly.

Social Worker 2

December 9, 2009 - 10:25 am EST

As a parent of a daughter who played softball in Rockingham County, I too always thought about complaining, but never did, even though I had to stand and watch her games because there are no bleachers on the softball field, or bring a chair. I would watch her games, looking at how torn up the field was from football practices, then look across onto the boy's baseball field, with it's perfect lines, green grass, good bases; that even includes a snack stand. The girls' fields don't have lights for games as the season progresses, and this is why games have to be played at parks, it's too dark to see the ball. All the boys' fields are lighted. There is definitely a discrepancy in the standards, and as long as football, baseball and wrestling continue to be the big draw to high school sports, there always will be. This does not make it fair or right, but teaches a life lesson none the less.

kidsincarolina

December 9, 2009 - 12:24 pm EST

As long as people say "That's how it will always be" then it always will. I'm glad someone has stood up to take a stand for the girls of Rockingham County. As the other poster said, without sports, there is nothing else in this county for our kids to do, which is why we have so many on drugs and so many teen parents.

What "life lesson" is being taught by turning a blind eye and putting up with discrimination? I would rather teach the lesson that discrimination is wrong and that we need to stand up to it and make a change for the better.

If every team was given the same treatment, maybe the girls sports - as well as the boys sports like wrestling - might be a "bigger draw".

When did HS sports turn into a money-maker, anyway?? What happened to it being something we offered our children, not something that they did to make $$ for the schools?

Social Worker 2

December 9, 2009 - 8:07 pm EST

Teaching kids that life is fair is wrong, that's the life lesson. Sports have always been a source of income for the school system and anyone who thinks that it is not, is naive. This is the only reason that sports have not been cut along with the arts, and sports that don't generate, don't continue. This is why boosters clubs were started. If you want to make a difference in the sports that don't draw big crowds, attend some games and pay your five dollars to get in, instead of taking phrases out of context, participate in the solution. Sports are considered an extra, not a necessity, it's why you have to make grades to play.

kidsincarolina

December 10, 2009 - 1:26 pm EST

Funny how the football players aren't held to the grades part of it. I heard a parent of a football player just this morning talking about his son failing classes, but he's still playing.

And btw, I would be more than happy to pay my $5 to attend games, if all the teams were allowed to charge admission to help the girls teams. However, if you have been to Reidsville games, you know that they aren't - thanks to the fact that they aren't allowed to play on school fields because the football team practices on it.

In lieu of my $5, I contribute quite a bit of money and "sweat" into the boosters every single year. Thank you. However, when you have a school filled with low-income kids that can't afford uniforms and gear, or their parents won't bother to support them by helping the boosters, AND funds aren't provided by the school - tell me how much more the parents can do? And what exactly did I take out of context? I still don't see the "life lesson" in telling your daughters that it's ok than they are not as appreciated as boys and always will be.

sportsmom

December 9, 2009 - 9:05 pm EST

I am not familiar with the Rockingham situation, but I do know that when my son was in High School the baseball field was in the best condition because the baseball parents and players raised the most money and put the most man/woman hours in on the field and facilities. The parents didn't ask what the school could do for them, instead they worked hard to provide a great playing facility for the young men.
It would be nice if the schools had more money and resources, but that's not the case..... so the lesson our kids learned was hard work pays off.

dcolin

December 9, 2009 - 10:39 pm EST

"hard work pays of"
In todays America that is far from true

curveball29

December 10, 2009 - 12:35 pm EST

First off, I completely agree that any athelete that competes in a Varsity sport deserves to receive their letter and there is no doubt the baseball facilities are better than softball facility (Jaycee Park) at Reidsville High School. However, the reason Reidsville's baseball facility is what is today is becasue of the parents who raised/spent there own money into it. The athletic department at RHS and Rockingham County Schools had absolutely nothing to do with it. The concrete for the seats was laid by the parents; the press box/locker room was literally built and wired by the parents; and if I remember correctly the parents even drove up northeast somewhere to pick the seats up with a uhaul truck which the players/parents installed.

kidsincarolina

December 11, 2009 - 12:26 pm EST

If the parents were allowed to repair or upgrade the softball facilities, they would. They have offered to pay for temporary fencing to at least make the field regulation size, and were told they couldn't. They can't do ANYTHING to Jaycee Field because the city runs it (if you can call it that).

The girls softball field at school is used for middle school football team to practice on, so the girls are not allowed to play or practice on it, plus its ruined from the football practices. Ask the Athletic Director how that works....

Just want to make sure people don't think that the parents here are asking for handouts for the team - they just want the same courtesies that the other teams are shown. A facility that they CAN maintain, gear that the girls need to play and practice safely, and a safe place for them at school.

formerram

December 12, 2009 - 1:55 pm EST

I used to coach softball at RHS.... it does not get nearly what it needs to be a successful program. The field is not within a reasonable walking distance of the school, there are not regulation fields, there is not reasonable equipment, or suitable uniforms. The bottom line is the team is lacking in equipment and space. There has never been anyone there that has taken an interest in the program and built it from the ground up. (Which in my opinion will take a minimum of 5 years.) It needs better gear, equipment, a most importantly a booster club. With all that said, the funding at the school is not that far from equitable to what other sports are getting..... the baseball team does have an awesome booster club as does the football team.... thus the reason they have so much. Believe me when I say it is not the other teams that are getting the funding. The school doesn't have the funds. Look at the building; look at the test scores; look at the community. The school has great needs. The bottom line is that the community is in need of assistance the only way that the school is going to get money for this program is through private donates. (The same way the rest of the sports get it.) My harder question is why are parents complaining about the lack of sports equity and not enough about the educational equity. RHS does not have the same education that other schools have and that is simply looked over. Take it from a teacher.... there is a greater need in the classroom than there is on the field....