Columbus family closer to winning right for art school students to play more sports
A Columbus teen’s yearlong effort to play high school baseball is one huge step closer to becoming reality.
At the direction of the Muscogee County School District Board, superintendent David Lewis has presented a proposal allowing students in grades 9-12 at Rainey-McCullers School of the Arts to, effective July 1, participate in Georgia High School Association sanctioned interscholastic sports at their zoned school if those sports aren’t offered at Rainey-McCullers.
The proposal comes two months after he told the parents of Rainey-McCullers junior Rene Rodriguez that he opposes their request.
As written, the proposal would grant such permission with some stipulations:
- Students may not participate in GHSA activities at both schools. They would have to choose one each year.
- MCSD wouldn’t provide transportation for students to travel from Rainey-McCulllers to their zoned school.
- Rainey-McCullers events, such as rehearsals, performances and exhibitions, would take precedence and have priority over any zoned school sports contest or practice.
- Rainey-McCullers students missing instructional time to attend zone school sports events must make up all missed work, such as assignments, assessments, presentations and labs.
- Failure to adhere to this policy would result in “a commensurate negative impact” on the student’s grade(s) and withdrawal from Rainey-McCullers.
The MCSD board discussed the proposal during Monday night’s work session. As with all proposed district policy changes, the board must wait at least 30 days to vote. The issue won’t be decided until the April 17 meeting at the earliest.
Still, this news is a victory for Rene and his parents, Lindsay Woodson and Rene Rodriguez III.
“It’s pretty overwhelming and pretty exciting,” Rene, 17, told the Ledger-Enquirer. “It feels great to know you’re able to make a (possible) change at your school, especially a change as big as one going to the school board.”
School’s origin
Rainey-McCullers, which opened in 2017, is a district-wide magnet school for students who want to specialize in art, creative writing, dance, film, music or theater. It didn’t offer any interscholastic sports until the beginning of this school year, when teams were started for cross country, golf, swimming/diving and tennis.
Only those sports were allowed, Lewis told the L-E last month, because they are “more individually based and coached by members of their staff and are therefore not dependent on the schedules of multiple coaches of team sports from the eight other high schools.”
Rene, however, wants to play high school baseball.
He and his parents read the GHSA bylaws and found a rule that allows students who attend a magnet school to participate in extracurricular activities at the school where they reside in the attendance zone — as long as the school board approves.
They presented their case to the board during its December meeting. Because their presentation was during the public agenda portion of the meeting and not on the action agenda, the board didn’t vote on the request or discuss the issue at the meeting.
On Jan. 12, Rene’s parents met with Lewis who told them he opposes their request. On Feb. 8, MCSD communications director Kimberly Wright emailed the L-E a statement from Lewis that says in part:
“Our district is an avid supporter of both athletics and the arts, but given the initial vision for the school and the inevitable scheduling conflicts that would arise, students must choose to attend the Rainey-McCullers SOTA for what it offers or to attend a comprehensive high school that offers the arts and interscholastic sports that are available at their zoned high school.”
Opinion change?
During the board’s Feb. 25 retreat, the administration presented the results of its survey asking MCSD principals, athletics directors and coaches whether they favor Rainey-McCullers students participating sports at their zoned school. Nearly two-third (62% of the 39 respondents) answered no.
Asked to explain his rationale for the proposal, Lewis in an email Wednesday to the L-E, “This is not my recommendation but that of a consensus of the Board following the February 25th retreat.”
Asked why the proposal opposes the survey’s majority opinion, Lewis wrote, “From time to time, there are going to be differences of philosophy and opinion among members of the Governance Team. In this instance I respectfully disagreed with the original proposal for the reasons reflected in my previous response to you on February 8, which happens to correspond with the results of the survey you referenced.
“However, after the Board Retreat on Feb. 25th, the recommendation was revised to now include a provision that prioritizes Rainey-McCullers activities that allows flexibility for those students who may be able to participate in inter-scholastic sports and also maintains the original intent and integrity of the school and its programming.”
In a email Monday night, the L-E polled the nine board members, asking whether they support the superintendent’s proposal and why. Three board members replied so far — all in favoring approval..
District 1 representative Pat Hugley Green, the board’s chairwoman, said, “I support the proposed policy change and all of the ways students learn and reach their full potential. I believe that making the provision for MCSD to support the whole child as well as multi-talented students.”
District 5 representative Laurie McRae, the board’s vice chairwoman, said, “I have been advocating for the RMSOA students to be able to participate in more sports,” she said.
District 4 representative Naomi Buckner said the proposal “provides for choice. Students, along with their parents, choose whether to play sports with their home schools or with Rainey-McCullers.”
Rene would have only his senior year left to play baseball at his zoned school, Hardaway.
“If it passes, it’ll mean a lot, knowing we worked to get to this moment,” Rene said “I could at least try out, so it would be very rewarding.”
Rene said he knows Rainey-McCullers students who want to play other high school sports, such as basketball, football, softball and soccer.
“I’d just be glad for this to make an impact for other students,” he said.
His mother, Lindsay Woodson, told the L-E she is “shocked” but grateful the superintendent changed his mind.
“It’s exciting to think (Rene) could play at least his senior year and even more kids could,” she said. “… I’m hopeful it’ll pass. I feel like there’s enough board members who want it. . . . It’s been emotionally and mentally a roller coaster, but I feel like it’ll pay off.”
This story was originally published March 15, 2023 at 10:45 AM.
