Belle Vernon Area School Board Monday discussed whether to impose stricter grade requirements for high school students who play sports or participate in extracurricular activities.
During a policy committee meeting, Director Deborah Puglia suggested the board require students to at least earn 6.5 credits, with one credit each in English, mathematics, science and social studies, to be eligible to play sports or take part in other activities.
Puglia said the requirement would match the same criteria for a student to graduate high school.
"If nothing else, we want our students to be able to graduate," Puglia said.
Students currently must earn four credits in a school year and maintain a 0.8 grade-point average to participate in sports or school activities.
Director Dale Patterson supported the policy change as a way to motivate students toward earning better grades.
"I don't think that's unreasonable at all," Director Harve Anderson added.
Director Frank Muccino agreed, but said the policy should go into effect at the beginning of next school year so students would have a fair warning.
Puglia also told the board she could later propose an additional C-minus grade average requirement for the 2003-2004 school year under the same policy.
Director Joseph Stringhill strongly contested Puglia's suggestions.
"There's nothing wrong with it the way it was," he said. "I don't need to be a rocket scientist to play sports."
Stringhill said during his 15 years as a director, only five students came before the board because they did not earn enough credits to pass a grade.
"Why didn't they have enough credits?" he asked. " ... because they didn't go to school."
In response to that comment, Anderson requested action to revoke students' driving privileges to school in response to class cutting and tardiness. Students are allowed four late arrivals to school per semester before they lose the privilege.
"That's absolutely too many," Muccino said.
The board will consider the proposed policy changes at its regular meeting Monday.
