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In the aftermath of Bear River's girls basketball season being canceled for violating the Nevada Joint Union High School District's athletic code, parents are appealing the decision with hopes of salvaging the girls' season - or what's left of it.
Parents have put together a letter directed to district Superintendent Ralf Swenson stating their case that the cancellation of the season was unjust and unwarranted.
"Witnessing the high school administration's rush to impose selective, public punishment and unwillingness to wait for balanced legal review of the athletic code's scope of application, many parents have concluded that, in this incident, administrators have mistaken bullying for strength and appear to be more interested in manufacturing reasons to 'make an example' of our sons and daughters than in bringing productive resolution to this situation," the parent's letter stated.
"Families are in the process of retaining legal counsel. The remedy we seek is the removal of all athletic code penalties currently imposed upon our sons and daughters, and we request that, for the present, you suspend all penalties until such time as the code's legal scope of application can be determined."
Swenson was not available for comment Thursday.
On Tuesday, Bear River's girls basketball season was forfeited after administrators discovered 10 of the 11 girls on the basketball team had attended a party in Granite Bay at which alcohol was consumed. Two members of the snowboard team were present as well as a boys basketball player, a cheerleader and other students of the school as well as non-Winter athletes. None of the students drove home, but stayed the night at the residence, according to several parents of athletes involved.
Only the Winter sports athletes were punished, as the athletic code pertains to athletes in season.
According to the athletic code, athletes who are found to have used illegal substances including alcohol are barred from play for 30 calendar days while completing a list of stipulations to return. With only two weeks left in the season and a majority of players found to have violated the code, the girls basketball season was canceled.
Thursday's letter to Swenson, which totaled four pages, lists the grievances a portion of the parents have with the school and its process. Parent Mike Spencer also sent a letter to the superintendent after Monday's meeting in which the punishment was handed down.
He's still looking for an explanation.
"It appears that the school may have violated civil rights, outstepped it's bounds of authority, avoided due process, misinterpreted the athletic code agreement, infringed upon numerous privacy acts, abused its authority ..." Spencer's e-mail stated.
On Thursday, Spencer relayed he was still unhappy with the school's response to the situation.
"This is an irreversible and irresponsible action," Spencer said. "These girls will never get back their season."
What's more, is that parents are concerned that the actions of the school violated the rights of the students during the school's investigation by confiscating their cell phones and downloading images off of their MySpace accounts.
"It's the violation of civil rights that I'm most concerned about," said Christa Cortez, a parent of one of the winter athletes. "What these kids did was wrong, but it pales in comparison to what these adults and professionals did."
And the investigation process was questionable to the parents as well.
"It was cruel and lengthy interrogation without parent notification," Cortez said.
Bear River principal Jim Nieto stands by the school's decision to cancel the season.
"We've been saying all along that participation in athletics is a privilege," Nieto said. "Part of that is we ask our athletes to refrain from using drugs or alcohol during their course of their athletic season."
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To contact Sports Writer Zuri Berry, e-mail zberry@theunion.com or call 477-4244.
Parents have put together a letter directed to district Superintendent Ralf Swenson stating their case that the cancellation of the season was unjust and unwarranted.
"Witnessing the high school administration's rush to impose selective, public punishment and unwillingness to wait for balanced legal review of the athletic code's scope of application, many parents have concluded that, in this incident, administrators have mistaken bullying for strength and appear to be more interested in manufacturing reasons to 'make an example' of our sons and daughters than in bringing productive resolution to this situation," the parent's letter stated.
"Families are in the process of retaining legal counsel. The remedy we seek is the removal of all athletic code penalties currently imposed upon our sons and daughters, and we request that, for the present, you suspend all penalties until such time as the code's legal scope of application can be determined."
Swenson was not available for comment Thursday.
On Tuesday, Bear River's girls basketball season was forfeited after administrators discovered 10 of the 11 girls on the basketball team had attended a party in Granite Bay at which alcohol was consumed. Two members of the snowboard team were present as well as a boys basketball player, a cheerleader and other students of the school as well as non-Winter athletes. None of the students drove home, but stayed the night at the residence, according to several parents of athletes involved.
Only the Winter sports athletes were punished, as the athletic code pertains to athletes in season.
According to the athletic code, athletes who are found to have used illegal substances including alcohol are barred from play for 30 calendar days while completing a list of stipulations to return. With only two weeks left in the season and a majority of players found to have violated the code, the girls basketball season was canceled.
Thursday's letter to Swenson, which totaled four pages, lists the grievances a portion of the parents have with the school and its process. Parent Mike Spencer also sent a letter to the superintendent after Monday's meeting in which the punishment was handed down.
He's still looking for an explanation.
"It appears that the school may have violated civil rights, outstepped it's bounds of authority, avoided due process, misinterpreted the athletic code agreement, infringed upon numerous privacy acts, abused its authority ..." Spencer's e-mail stated.
On Thursday, Spencer relayed he was still unhappy with the school's response to the situation.
"This is an irreversible and irresponsible action," Spencer said. "These girls will never get back their season."
What's more, is that parents are concerned that the actions of the school violated the rights of the students during the school's investigation by confiscating their cell phones and downloading images off of their MySpace accounts.
"It's the violation of civil rights that I'm most concerned about," said Christa Cortez, a parent of one of the winter athletes. "What these kids did was wrong, but it pales in comparison to what these adults and professionals did."
And the investigation process was questionable to the parents as well.
"It was cruel and lengthy interrogation without parent notification," Cortez said.
Bear River principal Jim Nieto stands by the school's decision to cancel the season.
"We've been saying all along that participation in athletics is a privilege," Nieto said. "Part of that is we ask our athletes to refrain from using drugs or alcohol during their course of their athletic season."
ooo
To contact Sports Writer Zuri Berry, e-mail zberry@theunion.com or call 477-4244.
