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Started By
Message
Special Needs Student Told To Remove His Varsity Letter
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:38 am
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:38 am
quote:
The student, Michael Kelley, has Down’s Syndrome and autism. Kelley is not a varsity athlete but participates in extra-curricular special needs basketball.
His family bought him a varsity letter like the other kids wear, but recently, his mother says he was asked to not wear the jacket.
Turns out, the letter is an official Wichita East High School varsity letter, and East High says he is not supposed to have that letter.
KSN talked to his mother Jolinda Kelley. She says Michael, her adopted son, is one of a kind and loves to play basketball.
When he was recognized for participating, Jolinda bought a varsity letter and put that letter on the jacket.
quote:
KSN also asked Thiessen if the school would consider giving a varsity letter to special needs kids.
“We have considered it, and our decision was no. We decided that is not appropriate in our situation because it is not a varsity level competition.”
Thiessen says his building decided varsity letters would be for varsity letter winners only. KSN found out that there is no district-wide policy in Wichita.
The family turned to J. Means, USD 259’s Athletic Director. He told the family that when he was the athletic director at Northwest High their policy was to allow special needs students to earn letters, just like other athletes.
KSN reached out to school board members to ask if they would consider making a district-wide policy.
LINK
I feel for the mom and the kid, but you shouldn't be able to just buy a varsity letter, even if your kid is "one of a kind and loves to play basketball".
The school's not wrong for making him remove the letter, the mom is wrong for buying him one.
58
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:40 am to Green Chili Tiger
WOW what dicks
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:40 am to Green Chili Tiger
...just because you are on the team doesn't mean you get a varsity letter for the sport you are playing.
Special needs or not.
Special needs or not.
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:41 am to LSUAlum2001
quote:
...just because you are on the team doesn't mean you get a varsity letter for the sport you are playing.
Special needs or not.
Exactly
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:41 am to Green Chili Tiger
i typically don't do this but here goes
you sir, are an idiot.
you sir, are an idiot.
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:41 am to Green Chili Tiger
What kind of a piece of shite even bothers to be irked about this much less write a letter?
frick that guy whoever he is
frick that guy whoever he is
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:41 am to Green Chili Tiger
I see both sides. The mother should have called the school first instead of acting unilaterally and shoving something down people's throats.
Why didn't she pursue some guidance on this on the front end before doing all this work on the back end to force people to get her way?
Bad parenting truth be told. Which sucks because the kid needs great parenting. Just my $0.02.
Why didn't she pursue some guidance on this on the front end before doing all this work on the back end to force people to get her way?
Bad parenting truth be told. Which sucks because the kid needs great parenting. Just my $0.02.
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:42 am to LSUAlum2001
quote:
...just because you are on the team doesn't mean you get a varsity letter for the sport you are playing.
Special needs or not.
bingo
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:43 am to Green Chili Tiger
Let the kid keep the letter...
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:43 am to Green Chili Tiger
If the team had any balls they would give their letters back to the school.
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:44 am to Green Chili Tiger
Dickheads. 
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:44 am to GFunk
quote:
The mother should have called the school first instead of acting unilaterally and shoving something down people's throats.
Why didn't she pursue some guidance on this on the front end before doing all this work on the back end to force people to get her way?
Bad parenting truth be told.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
The parent who complained was a douche as well, but the entire situation was avoidable with a little due diligence.
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:45 am to Green Chili Tiger
who gives a shite if a kid wears a jacket with a letter?
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:45 am to Green Chili Tiger
lol at people in here acting like "the letter must be earned". It's a fricking HS varsity letter, not some prestigious rhodes-scholarship type honor.
If it makes the kid happy to wear it, then so be it, let him have his moment.
The people against something like this are probably the peaked in HS guys who still talk about their high school sport playing days.
If it makes the kid happy to wear it, then so be it, let him have his moment.
The people against something like this are probably the peaked in HS guys who still talk about their high school sport playing days.
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:45 am to NYNolaguy1
quote:
If the team had any balls they would give their letters back to the school.
Why? They earned them.
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:47 am to Green Chili Tiger
quote:
quote:...just because you are on the team doesn't mean you get a varsity letter for the sport you are playing. Special needs or not.
Exactly
Why not? You think it diminishes the reward for the other kids? Because the school's disabled kid enjoys wearing his letter? Get over yourselves.
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:47 am to Tigerfan56
quote:
The people against something like this are probably the peaked in HS guys who still talk about their high school sport playing days.
Exactly. Any retard (see what i did there) can get one, typically. Why they decided to pick on this kid is beyond me.
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:47 am to Green Chili Tiger
Who give a frick. Give the kid the varsity letter, he will remember long past anyone else that will stick the jacket in the closet long after high school. What kind of smarmy frick polices this sort of thing. Oh hey I'm sorry you're retarded but you still can't have this varsity letter that no one even cares about.
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:48 am to Green Chili Tiger
This shite is rich...I mean with this day and age with everyone screaming for equality ...
But hey the kids white..Who gives a flying frick right??
Now if this were black...I'm sure most can draw their own conclusion
But hey the kids white..Who gives a flying frick right??
Now if this were black...I'm sure most can draw their own conclusion
This post was edited on 3/27/15 at 9:50 am
Posted on 3/27/15 at 9:48 am to Green Chili Tiger
its a freaking letter! who the hell cares! If the school didnt but it for the kid they cant make him stop wearing it. Dam why is this school making such a big deal
out of this. What does it hurt for him to wear it and feel proud? Its not like he is putting it on his resume
out of this. What does it hurt for him to wear it and feel proud? Its not like he is putting it on his resume
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