Re “Oops. School Claims Part of the Soccer Player Story Has Not Been Revealed.”
Culver City High School Principal Pam Magee’s recent allegation that we, as Maya Cohn’s parents, have failed to disclose all of the facts regarding our daughter’s exclusion from the school soccer team is troubling.
Here are the only salient facts:
• Maya is a two-year varsity returning senior. She was a varsity cheerleader as a freshman. Under Culver’s own rules and tradition, as a returning senior, Maya is automatically entitled to a spot on the school’s varsity soccer squad.
• The only published eligibility requirements that inform students and their parents about the prerequisites for interscholastic team play are on the school website. These published provisions do not state that an unfettered commitment to the exclusion of all other academic or extra-curricular activities is a precondition to compete.
• Like all Culver students who wish to participate in Youth and Government for the coming school year, our daughter had to confirm her interest by applying during the spring semester, prior to summer. As a student who was seeking an elected leadership role in Youth and Government – which she ultimately obtained – Maya was required to state her electoral intentions before school began.
• The additional ad hoc exclusionary rule imposed by the coach requiring Maya to chose between her commitment to soccer and her continued participation in Youth and Government — a nationally-recognized citizenship program that has been endorsed by our Governor and State Legislature — was promulgated after the new school year began.
• Maya loves soccer, a sport she has played most of her life. Maya also thinks that the citizenship lessons she is learning and the experience she is gaining through Youth and Government are invaluable to her future.
• By participating in Youth and Government, Maya may miss only one soccer game this season. Maya’s involvement in Youth and Government does not conflict with the soccer team’s practice schedule.
• Culver High is standing behind its coach’s decision to exclude Maya from soccer, right or wrong.
• Maya is heartbroken that she will not get a final chance to revel in the pure joy of competing side-by-side with her teammates on behalf of the Culver Centaurs. She is also puzzled and hurt that she is being punished, and now demonized, for trying to be a responsible student and citizen.
During a private meeting with Culver’s Athletic Director Jerry Chabola this past week, these were the only facts on the table. No other facts were either discussed or disclosed.
Given this understanding, it is surprising that the Culver Principal is now hinting that there are other more important facts affecting the school’s decision that she is precluded from disclosing because of confidentiality strictures. If this were true, then it is hard to understand why Athletic Director Chabola didn’t disclose these supposedly essential confidential facts to me, as Maya’s parent, during our private meeting.
I am very fond of Principal Pam Magee.
All of my past personal interactions with her have been very positive. I believe that Pam is an extraordinary educator whose leadership and vision have brought Culver High School to a plateau of renewed prominence.
We are lucky to have her.
Given my past experiences with Pam, I am astonished that she would adopt this hollow tactic to divert the public’s attention away from the only facts that will be considered by the School Board on Tuesday.
I realize that Pam is only doing what she believes is necessary to defend the continued independence of her coaches. I also understand that Pam, like any similarly situated principal, is trying to preserve the administrative autonomy of her school.
But, in this instance, based on these facts, she is wrong.
Mistakes were made. The soccer coach and the Athletic Dept. were hasty. They didn’t fully consider or perceive the broader moral and educational implications of their actions.
The coach’s goal was laudable, and the Athletic Director’s defense of his coach’s policies is admirable. I also believe that the coach conceived this new policy without malice and in a genuine attempt to field the most competitive team possible.
While Maya appreciates the coach’s goal, and supports her team’s drive to win, she does not understand why her continued involvement with Youth and Government conflicts with these objectives.
Overturning the injudicious decision of her coaching staff and the Athletic Director is not a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it will demonstrate Pam Magee’s wisdom as an educator, and further underscore why she is otherwise held in such high regard by our community.
It’s time to do the right thing, Pam.
Mr. Cohn may be contacted at john@globewestfinancial.com
