Ark. mother sues district, state for constitutional violation after son cut from varsity team

Wow! This is what happens when everybody gets a "trophy for playing" growing up.
Link to Yahoo Sports Article

An Arkansas mother has sued her son's high school for cutting her son from the school's varsity basketball team, claiming that he was deprived the right of a full education because he was not allowed to take part in school athletics.

How is this deprivation of a right? Everyone who wants to be on a team should be able to regardless of skill? This is how stupid and selfish some have become, and I fear this is becoming an out of control trend as Americans.

As reported by Arkansas Matters and USA Today, among other sources, Teresa Bloodman, the mother of a Maumelle (Ark.) High freshman, filed suit against the school, district and state after her son was replaced on the school's basketball team following a third set of tryouts for the team that re-incorporated members of the school's football team.

While those replacements might stoke claims of favoritism, the lawsuit filed by Bloodman goes much further, claiming that her son has a constitutional right to participate in school sports, as you can read in the excerpt from the suit directly below. "…the deprivation of the right to a full and complete education which includes competition in sports and consequently athletic scholarships impairs John Doe of a property right guaranteed under both the U.S. and State Constitutions."

I hope courts, throw this suit out, disbar the attorney for taking it and make both the attorney and mother pay any legal/court costs incurred by the state/district in defending it. This is ridiculous!!!

Ok....Here is how I would handle it.

Allow the kid to be on the team, but keep him on the bench if his parents really want to press the issue.

Now....I think there does need to be a balance...and school sports should be open to all. I do think the schools do put a little too much emphasis on the sports than the academics. Having my kids in varsity sports, at this level they do put more competitiveness in it than fun. I am all about winning too, but the grades must come first and these kids are not pros and should not be treated as such either.

reply to post by Skewed


I agree with you 100% about the emphasis placed on sports over academics, but if all a parent has to do is complain to the coach and they're on the team it would be defeating the point of athletics. If you are a kid who has played a sport their whole life, gone to sports camp, and works their butt off to be good, shouldn't that person be rewarded. There are also other outlets to play sports besides public education.

reply to post by stdscf12

…the deprivation of the right to a full and complete education which includes competition in sports and consequently athletic scholarships impairs John Doe of a property right guaranteed under both the U.S. and State Constitutions."

Where exactly in the constitution does it state that people who suck at sports should be on the varsity team?

Maybe you guys roll differently down in the states, but in Canada, we have physical education as a class. During which, you compete in different sports.

Sports teams, on the other hand, are extra-curricular.

This lady, and her lawyer, are idiots.

I feel bad for the son.

reply to post by stdscf12


I can't actually think of a location in the constitution guaranteeing a right to education. The closest thing is equal protection, but that's pushing it and I can't see a logical way to bend things enough to make that work.

I believe she's wasting the court's time and should just suck it up and realize she's fighting a losing game. Besides, she's implying that the only way to get a full education is to play a sport. That'd bean everyone not playing a sport is only getting a fraction of their education. She's probably just trying to push her agenda so that she can take the glory for having a kid who plays a sport, a lot of parents do this and it's ridiculous.

The real world has winners and it has losers; so should school athletics.

Ok, If the kid wasn't good enough, I'm all for this being thrown out.
But, third round of tryouts 2months later, for football players, replacing 9 kids? Is this standard for this school? So your catering to football players because their seasons might overlap?
Something isn't adding up with that.
I wouldn't be suing, but I would be getting with the other parents and going to the school board with this.

i'd promote the kid to team captain and make him lead the team out for every game no matter what even if they have to wheel his coffin out, i'm sure after a few defeats he'll get the message delivered via a kicking or two and persuade his mum not to push it any more

I think a lot of people truly do not understand the Constitution. Obviously, look at the nation. First, the Constitution does not protect us from each other, but from the government. Next, the Constitution does not guarantee citizens anything, other than a equal playing field to pursue your happiness. Pursuit does not mean actually obtaining it, obtaining it is up to the individual and the effort they put into achieving their pursuit of happiness.

Hes a Freshmen who tried out for Varsity and didnt make it. Doesnt this school have a JV Team??? Or a Freshmen Team?? She has no case.

reply to post by stdscf12


Her kid was kicked off the team because the football team's favorites were returning to play basketball. She has a leg to stand on in court and this is favoritism that has nothing to do with her son's ability to play basketball.

How would you like your son getting kicked off the teams tryouts so the returning popular football players can have your kids spot?

This happens alot in my state and it's nothing new to me and I've heard these allegations before. I live 40 miles from Maumelle.

reply to post by lonewolf19792000


UTTER TWADDLE

its not about ` favouritism ` - its about picking the best team availiable - and during football season people selected for the football team cannot realistically serve on both the football team and basketball team [ because of demands of training , clashes of fixtures etc etc ]

but when football season is over - if the footballers are also better basketball players than the people who only made the basketball team because the footballers wee " busy " and could not attent the 1st tryouts - then hey common sense dicates you from the ` place holders ` and put the footballers in the basket ball team

it really is that simple

you select the best team from the students availiable

reply to post by ignorant_ape


You said it yourself "best team available"
They were not available at the time, so sorry about your luck. 2 months later is a bit ridiculous.

reply to post by stdscf12


They should have left this mouth breater on the team and given him a jersey that says water boy.
This is not discrimination, a water boy is an integral part of the team, he/she supplies pure, clean H20!

reply to post by lonewolf19792000

If my kid sucked at the game, I'd hope that he was replaced by someone who did not.
This way the team could move forward, but like I said, there is a place on my team for even the most....challenged.

reply to post by lonewolf19792000
Football players sometimes are in the "Playoffs". Basketball is right after Football season and the practice starts right after the Regular season of Football is over. So, usually if the Football team makes the playoffs they CANT be at practice.

But, to answer your question, Yes. If my Son wasnt able to compete with those Football players in Basketball so be it. If he is able to than I understand.