Down Syndrome kid kicked off football team

(no message)

This is a bit misleading. He's too old to be on the team now. There is nothing they can do, they have to follow the rules.

quote:

---

Down Syndrome kid kicked off football team
this is crap

---

How is it crap? He's too old to be on the football team. He's still allowed to wear his jersey and go on the field, he just can't fully dress out.

quote:

---

"I want to be clear that the student-athlete has not been 'kicked off the team,'" Whitfield said in the statement, which he emailed to Prep Rally directly. "Brett Bowden could still be a part of the team, lead his team on the field, wear his jersey and be with his teammates, including some of the post-game activities he has done in the past.
"The only thing that he cannot do now that he could do before is dress out in full uniform, since a student must be eligible to be dressed for a contest. He is over the age limit based on the eligibility rules, and this State Board of Education policy is one we are not allowed to set aside."

---

quote:

---

"The only thing that he cannot do now that he could do before is dress out in full uniform, since a student must be eligible to be dressed for a contest. He is over the age limit based on the eligibility rules, and this State Board of Education policy is one we are not allowed to set aside."

---

That was the part that raised an eyebrow for me. Of course they can set it aside in this case. They aren't trying to change the constitution of the United States. If they wanted to grant this kid a waiver, they could easily do that. If you don't want the kid to play, say that. Don't spew some bullshite about how it is an unbreakable law.

Sounds to me like there are a few folks in the NCHSAA that think their job/position is alot more important than what it really is. There is alot more to life than high school football age requirements in North Carolina.

time to hang the cleats up.

somebody in charge should have prepared him for this last year instead of getting his hopes up.

The problem I have is the family because they want it both ways.

On one hand it is like "Treat him like a normal kid" and let him on the team. Then they also want the rules to be bent because he has a disability.

Too bad IMHO, the rule is the rule. He can do almost everything he did up to this point so why make a big deal about it. It wasn't like he was the starting QB.

I see nothing wrong with this. Sucks the kid has down sydrome, but you cant turn 19 before Sept 1 and still play.


Also, i hate when people take the fight to facebook. If you're that serious, go door to door aaking for signatures on a petition, not starting a FB page looking for "like"

Chalk one up for those who believe that "the rules are the rules", and who don't want to make exceptions for anyone...

on my 7th grade team we had the same situation. we had 2 kids who were over the age limit, and the city gave them both a waiver. 1 was good (and like 2 weeks over the line), and the other was literally retarded (and i think a year over)

i remember getting into it with an opposing coach who was throwin a shite storm before the game b/c of the retarded kid. talking about how he was refusing to send his team out and shite. i remember yelling "HE IS RETARDED" in my 7th grade cracked voice

motherfricker i got in so much shite b/c of joe

he played, b/c our coaches weren't total assholes that year (they were the year before when we were clearly the best team)

we kind of had a deal. since i was nice, i'd take the heat for telling him before the snap what we'd do, telling the defense what our play was. our team got SO frickING PISSED at me, too