"Officials at Wichita East High School in Kansas are under fire after a special needs student was told he could not wear a varsity letter jacket because he was not competing at a varsity level.

 

Michael Kelley, who has Down syndrome and autism, participates on Wichita East's special needs basketball team, an extra-curricular activity organized by the school's special needs teachers. His mother, Jolinda Kelley, bought her son a letter jacket and varsity letter to mark her son's participation.

 

According to Jolinda, Michael was asked to remove the jacket while at school and given a sweatshirt to wear instead. As reported by Wichita TV station WKSN, Jolinda says she was told another parent complained that Michael wasn't a varsity athlete and therefore shouldn't be wearing a varsity letter jacket.

 

It was a view that was backed up by Wichita East principal Ken Thiessen in an interview on KSN.

 

"Teachers told the parents they would prefer he not wear the letter on his jacket," Thiessen said.

 

According to Thiessen, the school does not award letters to special needs students

 

"We have considered it, and our decision was no," he said. "We decided that it is not appropriate in our situation because it is not a varsity level competition."

 

Another school in the district, Wichita Northwest, does award letters to special needs students. A school district board member named Lynn Rogers tells the station that the board is willing to consider making special needs students eligible for letters district wide.

 

The Wichita East basketball team won the Kansas Class 6A state championship this year.

 

It's pretty mind-boggling that a parent would be so petty to make this demand and that a high school adminstrator — who's ostensibly in charge of teaching his students good qualities like acceptance, empathy and compassion — would stand behind that decision.

 

For those who believe Michael Kelley should be allowed to wear his letter jacket, a Change.org petition has been started. You can sign it here.

 

Hopefully some common sense will prevail at some point."

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/special-needs-student-told-he-can-t-wear-varsity-letter-jacket-162953378.html

Edit.

Just sad.

I think the complaining parent and the school administrator could learn a LOT from the middle school basketball team we heard about last week. The one with the down syndrome cheerleader.

 

Petty is the word that comes to mind.

I said this in another thread. As an educator, things like this make me just shake my head.

I'm going to get slammed for this BUT a varsity letter is something that's earned. I have no problem at all with the young man wearing a letter jacket, I also have no problem at all if the school awards alternate letters as many do for participating in clubs and activities but varsity letters should be reserved for those that earn them. And before I get slammed really hard there are ways that he could have earned a letter. Let him be the manager for the varsity team.

 

That said I think it's awesome that the school had the program for special needs students.

If they truly feel this strongly about someone wearing a jacket with a varsity letter on it that they didn't earn...then by golly, there better not be any girls walking the halls with their boyfriend's jacket on. And while we're at it, if you wear a t-shirt that says "State Champs" on it, you better go ahead and remove it too...because there might be someone that actually thinks you were on the team. And the same goes for adults.

Regardless of what the policy is, making the kid take it off is petty beyond belief. Who cares? It's not like stolen valor. It's high school sports. Give me a break.

Posted this in the Premium thread on this subject...

 

 

Wasn't just the Principal...

“Teachers told the parents they would prefer he not wear the letter on his jacket,” Thiessen told KSN TV adding that he would not allow special needs teams to have letters. “We have considered it, and our decision was no. We decided that it is not appropriate in our situation because it is not a varsity level competition.”

 

I guess "Peaked in HS School Rob Lowe (Teachers)" thinks it somehow cheapens the letter he/she got when they were in school.

 

I wonder how willing the school would be to give up the extra funding they get for all "Special Needs Kids" they claim are walking their hallways. Schools look for any way to call someone special needs to receive extra funding but then get upset over something like this.

 

School just won 6A State Champion in Basketball. I think the crux of the problem lies in the fact that the student was wearing a jacket with a Basketball Letter and everyone is worried that he'll cheapen someway the state title that they just won.

 

THESE PEOPLE MAKE ME SICK

If these jackets and letters are so sacred why are they for sale for anyone to buy? And if it was bought, how can the school make the child take it off (unless it is in the school handbook dress code)?

 

By the way, if I am the coach I find a way to make the Special Needs players honorary members of the team.

Sad to hear. I see no harm in a special needs student wearing a jacket or sweater in a sport they have participated in. Really?? Is the school going to award separate letters to these students? We have a special needs family member who participated in cheerleading. There was a young man who was a manager for the football team. Who cares if they wear a varsity jacket with a letter.

We had a kid in our community 20~ years ago. He didn't have Down syndrome, but a similar mental disability. He was a big sports fan and always came to the games. He got a letter jacket just like all the players. He was very proud of it, and rightfully so. Even today, he strolls around town visiting folks and businesses and wears that jacket. I'm always thankful he got one every time I see him. It means a ton to him, while mine has been hanging in my closet for 15 years, getting older and smaller.

We had a kid in our community 20~ years ago. He didn't have Down syndrome, but a similar mental disability. He was a big sports fan and always came to the games. He got a letter jacket just like all the players. He was very proud of it, and rightfully so. Even today, he strolls around town visiting folks and businesses and wears that jacket. I'm always thankful he got one every time I see him. It means a ton to him, while mine has been hanging in my closet for 15 years, getting older and smaller.

:thumb:

So many examples of people that "get it" and these certainly aren't one of them.

I'm shocked that the school made a big deal about this. It's a letter on a jacket.

 

I was a two sport letter in high school and got my letters and bars. I know I put a lot of energy, sweat, blood, and the occasional surgery into earning them but if I saw someone in the hallway or on the street wearing a letter, the last thought to enter my mind would've been "how did they get their letter." I saw it more as a school pride thing than bragging rights thing.

 

My jacket has hung in my closet since I graduated years ago and I feel that's the way it is for just about every person I know that had a letterman jacket.

 

Let the kid(s) enjoy their high school years. And if that involves a kid wearing his letter with pride, then let him.