Board gives eligibility to charter students

MIDVALE — Playing sports at a public high school just got easier for students who opt to attend classes at a charter school.

The UHSAA's Board of Trustees voted to change the interpretation of the organization's constitution as it relates to students from charter schools participating in public school athletic programs and activities. The change does not, however, force districts to comply.

"There are a few kids who cannot play anywhere else," said UHSAA attorney Mark Van Wagoner.

With the addition of some language that specifically includes charter schools, the UHSAA has made students eligible to play at their home-boundary school. How that would work in each specific instance and between the various charter and public school districts must be worked out by the schools involved.

"We are not stopping them," Van Wagoner said. "We are making them eligible to play. It's still up to the district."

Four members of the board voted against the change.

"This is one of the most difficult issues I've had to deal with," said Teresa Theurer, the state school board representative on the board. "This causes so many complications for both the sending school and the receiving school, and I feel like we're just dumping this on local districts and saying, 'You figure it out."'

The largest issue that's been discussed, both in UHSAA meetings and in legislative hearings, is how to pay for these students to play at schools they do not attend. The few charter schools that have petitioned for the right to send students to public schools said they're willing to pay for their students who want to play sports, but not an unreasonable amount.

"I understand the financial issues, and I'm happy to pay our proportionate fees," said Mike Westover, head master of Maeser Prep Academy. "But things like facilities, the taxpayers have already paid for that."

Added Robert Baker, chairman of Maeser: "We just want to be fair."

Both men said even having a discussion with the school board in their area (Alpine) has been unsuccessful.

"No one is willing to say it's this or that much because no one is willing to talk to us," Westover said. "Let's just see what we can do to make it possible for all kids to participate."

Maeser's administrators attended the meeting to petition for membership to the association for fine arts in the upcoming school year. The request was granted with only one no vote — that of the Alpine board representative.