Kevin Lynch

Critical Analysis Paper

EDLD 664 82/83
Legal Issues in Administration

Access to Extracurricular Activities

Summary:

The goal of a good education system is to produce well rounded students

who, when they leave that educational system, are productive and successful
citizens. Research has shown that extracurricular activities help develop skills,
connections, and knowledge that prepare children for lifelong success. (Snellman,
Silva, & Putnam, 2015) But due to the requirements such as time commitment,
family support, and finances extracurricular opportunities are being restricted.

For some students in our education system, the rising cost for team sports
and clubs, combined with parents uncertain work schedules and limited household
budgets, have made extracurricular activities a luxury they cant afford. (Snellman,
Silva, & Putnam, 2015) To often a students socio-economic class (their life outside
of school) is dictating a students ability to participate and access to extracurricular
activities and the positive experiences they would get from them. Extracurricular
activities can be particularly helpful because they offer supervision, guidance, and
future directedness. (Snellman, Silva, & Putnam, 2015) More research is also
demonstrating that, participating in organized activities outside of the classroom
will help cultivate the skills, habits, connections, and knowledge that prepare
children for lifelong success: academic success in school, graduating from high
school, going to college, getting a job, and participating in civic life. (Snellman,
Silva, & Putnam, 2015)

These concerns are magnified when you consider where school districts look
first to make budget cuts, they look at extracurricular programs. Poorer school
districts often simply cut their extracurricular offerings when looking at budget cuts.
(Snellman, Silva, & Putnam, 2015) Researchers Elizabeth Stearns and Elizabeth J.
Glennie (2010) found in their study of North Carolina public schools, the percentage
of students receiving free and reduced-price lunch in the overall student body is
negatively associated with the total numbers of extracurricular activities, sports
teams, and service opportunities offered by the school. (Snellman, Silva, & Putnam,
2015)

Rising financial barriers to participation have serious consequences and long

term affects, especially for those who need them the most. (Snellman, Silva, &
Putnam, 2015) Those low income students find themselves left out and on the
sidelines. Another key factor to consider when low-income students are left out of
extracurricular activities, they lose out on opportunities to build connections with
mentors such as coaches, bandleaders, and other youth leaders. (Snellman, Silva, &
Putnam, 2015) We are de-investing in students futures when we do not value the
skills students learn in extracurricular activities.

Critique/Discussion & Implications:

When looking at high school extracurricular activities, eligibility issues are

typically the first topic that is thought of when restricting students access to
participation in these activities. This article did an excellent job shedding light on
an issue that is affecting more and more students each year. That issue is the
inequity of access to extracurricular activities. As the article pointed out,
participation in extracurricular activities can have a broad positive social and
academic impact on adolescents. (Snellman, Silva, & Putnam, 2015) So the broad
legal issue is eligibility, but specifically in this case the issue I am concerned about
is broader that academic requirements and behavioral requirements school districts
put on student athletes. The aspect I am concerned about is equal access to
opportunities to learn at school (through extracurricular activities).

While reading this article, I was torn on how much school leaders should and
can do about some of these issues. How do we weigh the importance of involving
students in extracurricular activities with other educational issues? We know that
being involved in them will have many positive effects on students, but how to we
get them involved. I have worked within extracurricular activities before and I
currently work with at-risk youth. I see the need to keep programs like this in-tack
while making sure that all students have access to the programs. The legal issue I
see is not with the concept of the article. It is how to remove the barriers that exist
that do not allow low-income students equitable access to extracurricular activities.
One issue I am concerned about is how this articles topic will fit into school budgets
that seem to be more and more scrutinized. When given a choice between cutting
core classwork and extracurricular activities, the extracurricular activities are at a
disadvantage. But if you look at them as a key part of the education of the entire
student, then deep reflection and planning needs to take place.

Reducing inequity in school systems is a topic in schools today and has been
for many years. Student access to extracurricular activities is an extension of that
topic. Students who are involved in clubs and sports go on to earn higher wages,
advance further in their careers, and even vote and volunteer more frequently than
their less-involved peers. (Snellman, Silva, & Putnam, 2015) As leaders, these are
the issues that need to be confronted. Leaders need to be aware of situations
where inequalities are occurring so they can work to instill policy and procedures
that can work to allow extracurricular access to students. I interviewed Gordy
Ziebart, principal of the Rochester ALC, about this topic. He particularly discussed
the limited access to play youth football in the Rochester area. The requirements
make it difficult for low-income students and at-risk youth to get involved with this
sports league. (Ziebart, 2016) That the system in place, which includes cost,
location of events, timing of events such as sign up, creates unnecessary hurtles for
youth to navigate. (Ziebart, 2016)

Once I was told that good leaders are always thinking about how a current
decision affects future decisions; that they need to stay two steps ahead. I believe
this thought applies to the current topic. Opportunities for students to gain valuable
soft skill and life skills are being missed. To educate the whole student, making sure
students have access to extracurricular opportunities is important to allowing
students to grow and develop into the adults they can be.

References:

Snellman, K., Silva, J. M., & Putnam, R. D. (2015). Inequity outside the Classroom:
Growing Class Differences in Participation in Extracurricular Activities. Voices in
Urban Education714.
Ziebart, G. (2016, October 24). Barriers to Participation in Youth Football. Interview
by K. Lynch.