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Current Policy Area: Scholastic Sport Assignment
High school athletics are an integral part of communities and municipalities throughout
the United States. Approximately eight million student-athletes engage in competitive high
school athletics annually (NFHS, n.d.). Within the realm of academic athletics, this assignment
examines the involvement of athletes who possess disabilities. The chosen policy domain
pertains to the provisions of the disabilities law concerning athletes with disabilities, as these
provisions are relevant to collegiate athletics programs. Athletes with disabilities are becoming
more prevalent in high school athletic programs, posing a challenge for instructors to integrate
them effectively, according to Hums and MacLean (2018). On the contrary, numerous athletes
who have disabilities, be they physical or cognitive, have attained triumphs in collegiate,
professional, and high school athletics due to the disability legislation's advocacy for greater
inclusiveness.
Certain societies perceive people with disabilities as dependent and lacking in skills,
leading to a lack of activity and restricted mobility for the disabled, irrespective of the underlying
cause of their condition (Green, 2016). The Bible, nevertheless, forbids us from mistreating
others. According to Deuteronomy 27:18, "Cursed is one who guides the wayward astray." Then
every individual shall exclaim, "Amen!" (NIV). Disabled individuals should be afforded equal
opportunities and treated equitably, just as those without disabilities are encouraged to do by this
biblical principle: avoid mistreatment. The Disabilities Act encourages greater participation in
high school athletics and permits all students to do so in order to accomplish their athletic
objectives.
The provision for participation is a component of the disability law. According to Green
(2019), judicial rulings indicate that students lack a property right to participate in scholastic
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sports activities that is constitutionally guaranteed. Moreover, the regulation of athletic programs
is delegated to governing bodies such as state associations and school districts. Consequently,
sport governing bodies possess the authority to establish various forms of participation criteria
for student-athletes. These criteria may include but are not limited to the following: minimum
age requirements, maximum participation seasons, maximum years of participation, educational
eligibility requirements, transfer or residency prerequisites, and medical clearance restrictions.
Another provision of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1991 that pertains to
disabled student athletes is Title III. As stated by Green (2019), the statement pertains to private
educational establishments that operate public lodging facilities. As a result of the determination
by federal courts that school athletic activities qualify as public accommodations, Title III of the
Americans with Disabilities Act requires private educational institutions to provide equitable
athletics participation accommodations for their students.
Participants in a specific sport who can substantiate their disability status and meet all
other eligibility requirements must be granted suitable accommodations in accordance with the
guidelines outlined in Section 504 and the ADA (Green, 2016). The National Federation of State
High School Associations (NFHS) promotes the maximum participation of student-athletes with
mental or physical disabilities in high school athletics and activities that match their interests and
capabilities. As stated by NFHS (n.d.), an affiliated school may request a reasonable
accommodation or modification of a game rule on behalf of a student-athlete with a disability
who is participating on that school's team, provided that the request or modification does not
pose a significant risk to the safety of other students or result in severe injuries to them.
Furthermore, no essential element should be modified that would significantly alter the essence
of the game or provide the student-athlete with an unfair edge over the opposing team.
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In summary, by removing barriers, the provisions of the disability law have the capacity
to increase the number of disabled individuals who participate in athletic activities. Facilitating
greater inclusivity, the disabilities laws empower a considerable number of high school athletes
who have both physical and intellectual impairments to attain success in their respective sports.
The NFHS and institutions adhere to a set of guiding principles of action that are influenced by
the disabilities law. This legislation guarantees that the necessary provisions for student athletes
are duly integrated into the programs offered to them.
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References
Disabilities Law and reasonable Accommodations in sports. (n.d.).
https://www.nfhs.org/articles/disabilities-law-and-reasonable-accommodations-in-sports/
Disabilities Law applied to scholastic athletics programs. (n.d.).
https://www.nfhs.org/articles/disabilities-law-applied-to-scholastic-athletics-programs/
#:~:text=Title%20II%20of%20the%20ADA,because%20of%20his%20or
Hums, M. A., & MacLean , J. C. (2018). Governance and Policy in Sport Organizations (4th
ed.). Routledge.
Inclusion of Students with Disabilities. (n.d.). https://www.nfhs.org/resources/student-services-
inclusion/inclusion-of-students-with-disabilities
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