The 2.0 rule -- the Board of Education's policy that requires students to maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average to participate in sports and other extra-curricular activities -- was intended to raise student performance. Though it sounded like a good idea, in my opinion it has not worked. 2.0 must go
Replace grade mimimum
with simple standards for
effort and behaviorSupporters of that policy can point to students who have been helped. Unfortunately, on balance, the great number of students not eligible to participate demonstrates the overall failure of the policy.
Along with others, I support replacing the 2.0 rule with this simple criteria for participation.
If a student is (1) attending school regularly (not truant), (2) working hard in class and completing assignments and (3) behaving properly, that student should have the same opportunity to participate in any school activity as any other student.
It is a matter of fairness. If a student behaves as a good citizen in the school community, he or she should receive the full benefits available in that community.
If adults go to work regularly, do their job to the best of their ability, and obey the rules of the workplace, we don't prohibit them from joining a company bowling team or a company computer club. Why would we treat students differently?
Equally important, the lessons to be learned through participation in school-sponsored extra- and co-curricular activities are too valuable to continue a policy that ensures that the very students who, perhaps, need the lessons the most won't get them.
Many people write to the BOE stressing the need for schools to teach not only academic skills but practical life skills and attitudes that will help our students successfully live and work in our communities.
Participation in school organizations provides good opportunities to develop, sharpen and expand these important life skills.
Participants gain valuable experience in all phases of organizational life from goal-setting, planning, decision-making, implementation, re-evaluating outcomes as they learn to work with others in trying to accomplish the goals of their campus group.
Moreover, students have the opportunity to experience firsthand the relevance of fair play; the satisfaction and benefit of sharing one's time, knowledge and resources; and the importance of learning how to work as a team member.
In the context of enjoying themselves, students learn the meaning of commitment, discipline and social responsibility that comes from the giving of one's own time and effort in the achievement of group goals.
Students learn how their need for recognition, for "being somebody," can be safely and constructively realized through participation in community and school-sponsored activities.
Membership and participation in student activities provide vulnerable adolescents with a sense of belonging in a socially sanctioned, meaningful and constructive community activity. In short, they learn the value (the benefits and the responsibilities) of being a good citizen.
Many leaders and citizens in our communities are hard at work trying to provide more activities for our youth to combat the attraction of unhealthy and often dangerous options available to our students.
I believe we need to support this effort by eliminating the 2.0 rule and replacing it with a fair standard for all students, so that any motivated student who wants to participate can participate.
At the same time, we should implement a new policy requiring continued special assistance to all students whose grade point average is below 2.0.
We should be doing this for students regardless and independent of any concern about participation in extra-curricular activities. The schools' primary mission remains teaching basic academic skills, and we should be doing that.
Mike Compton is chairman of the
Committee on Student Services and a member at large
of the state Board of Education.