South Bend school board votes to relax 2.0 policy for athletes

SOUTH BEND — After an hour of testimony, during which impassioned pleas from people on both sides of the issue were heard, South Bend Community School Corp.’s board voted 5-2 Monday evening to relax academic eligibility requirements for student athletes.

Board member Bill Sniadecki and Vice President Maritza Robles voted against the measure.

The old policy required a 2.0 grade-point average for students in intermediate centers and high schools. Now, freshmen will be allowed to participate in sports with a 1.5 GPA, sophomores with a 1.67 GPA and juniors with a 1.85 GPA. Seniors will still be required to have a 2.0 GPA.

However, the policy revision approved by the board Monday also calls for allowing students who struggle to continue playing if they meet Indiana High School Athletic Association guidelines for eligibility and take part in study tables and show improving grades.

Intermediate center students only have to meet IHSAA requirements, which call for student athletes to pass 70 percent of classes with a D-minus or better.

School board President Jay Caponigro said the board will carve out the funding for and hold the administration responsible for implementing high-quality study tables at all four high schools. The district athletic director also will be responsible for collecting data on the impact of the new policy, Caponigro said, and reporting it to the board and the public at least annually.

The policy revision came out of a superintendent’s athletic committee that has been meeting for months.

That committee, board Secretary Stan Wruble said, focused on what could be done to better engage students, teach them life skills and study skills and keep them in school.

“Never once did success on the field come into play,” Wruble said.

The former 2.0 policy was phased in between 2009 and 2012 and was spearheaded by former board member Roger Parent, along with a committee of coaches and administrators.

At the time, former University of Notre Dame basketball coach Digger Phelps publicly supported the 2.0 policy.

Phelps was among the dozen community members who spoke in opposition to the new policy on Monday.

Former South Bend Superintendent Jim Kapsa also came out to speak in favor of the 2.0 policy and to volunteer his support to enhance after-school tutoring opportunities for athletes.

Community member David Frank said there should be more public input before a decision is made.

And Debra Turner asked, “What happens to these students when the game is over?”

Some members of the South Bend Common Council attended and spoke against the policy change. Last week, the council passed a resolution asking the school district to put the brakes on the initiative.

A little more than half as many people spoke in favor of the policy change.

Milt Lee, a South Bend coach and member of the district’s athletic committee, said students are falling through the cracks. And, participation in athletics is a way to potentially save them, he said.

“What I like about this proposal,” Lee said, “is it welcomes” students “to the family,” gives them an opportunity to be part of a team.

Before the board voted on the new policy, Sniadecki attempted to table it until the next meeting. After that motion failed, he attempted to amend the new policy proposal with one of his own. He favored keeping the 2.0 GPA requirement for intermediate center and high school athletes, but allowing those who fall short to still participate in sports if they attend study tables and show improvement in their grades. That motion failed, as well.

Sniadecki said he was only trying to do what’s right for students. And Robles agreed with him saying despite all that she’d heard, she still supported the 2.0 policy.

After having it pointed out by Sniadecki that her school board platform was high standards for all, board member Michelle Engel said there’s no evidence the 2.0 policy has worked.

But, she said, “nothing is forever and written in blood … This is what we do … This is a living policy.”

The new policy

• Freshmen can participate in sports with a 1.5 grade-point average, sophomores with 1.67 GPA, juniors with 1.85 GPA. Seniors must still have a 2.0 GPA.

• Students who don’t meet GPA guidelines (but still qualify via IHSAA guidelines) can participate if they take part in tutoring and show improvement in their grades.

How'd they vote?

Board member Bill Sniadecki and Vice President Maritza Robles voted against the policy revision that relaxed the GPA requirements for student athletes. President Jay Caponigro, Secretary Stan Wruble, John Anella and Michelle Engel voted in favor of the change.