Proposed bill could affect high school athletics

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published:  Sept. 25, 2013

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News Staff

A proposed bill would allow non-public school students to participate in extracurricular activities, including sports, at a public school.
Supporters said it’s a way to get more students involved in activities, while others believe the pending bill is not necessary and there are concerns people will abuse the law, if enacted.
WIAA Executive Director Dave Anderson is urging the organization’s membership to call their state representative and vote no.
Act 118.133 sparked controversy for high school sports in Wisconsin, forcing one delegate at a recent WIAA area meeting to say the bill will be an assault on public schools. The proposed legislation was drafted by Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac.
If passed as a bill, it would allow students from private, home, independent charter and virtual schools to participate in public school extracurricular activities.
“I’d hear from parents that they don’t have an opportunity to get involved in extracurricular activities and I don’t think that’s fair,” Thiesfeldt said.
In addition, pupils, “who are enrolled in a private school or independent charter school, the bill applies only to those sports that the private school or charter school does not offer.”
The bill is in its infant stages and is going through a re-draft to “close some loopholes,” said Hariah Hutkowski, Thiesfeldt’s chief of staff, adding the hope is to get it ready for discussion within another week.
There was one point Thiesfeldt wanted to make clear to those who are apprehensive: “There’s no guarantee they’ll make the team,” he said.
“Ultimately I think the kids don’t worry too much where the kids come from,” he added. “They’re there to compete and sometimes you lose in competition. ... I think it’s a positive thing when we get more kids involved in athletics.”
That isn’t sitting well with the WIAA, which consists of more than 500 high schools in the state.
“We have concerns,” Anderson said during a WIAA area meeting last week in Oconomowoc. “Do not sign on to this bill.”
“I don’t think the bill is necessary,” he added.
If passed, it would go into effect July 1.
“The WIAA has taken a historical position on this and it’s a strong belief students need to be full-time students of that school,” Anderson said, adding this has been the WIAA’s position since the organization’s founding almost 120 years ago.
The bill would also, ”prohibit a school district from being a member of an athletic association unless the association requires member school districts to allow such pupils to participate in interscholastic athletics.”
If that happens, schools would ultimately be forfeiting the possibility to compete for a WIAA state championship if they don’t comply.
“I’m supportive of the WIAA on that without a doubt,” Slinger Athletic Director Dan Karius said. “I think if you’re going to be participating in a school’s extracurricular activities, which are a privilege, then you need to be a student of that school.”
Thiesfeldt and his staff are working on making sure the system isn’t abused, such as a student becoming academically ineligible at a school then deciding to go into homeschooling just to become eligible.
Athletic directors at the WIAA meeting immediately raised concerns about policing a student’s eligibility. Thiesfeldt’s office said that won’t be a problem as those applying to take advantage of the bill would have to submit a letter to a school board and it would act as a statement under oath. If the statements prove to be false, the offending party could face legal punishment.
“What we’re hoping to do is make it less burdensome for everyone involved,” Hutkowski said.
Pointing to rural schools which may struggle to field full teams, this bill could help increase participation.
“This could be an opportunity to field a team whereas that couldn’t before,” Thiesfeldt said.