Gym Class Exemption for Student-Athletes One Vote Away From Policy

A possible policy that would allow senior student-athletes in the West Morris Regional High School District some down time while participating in their respective sports is one vote away from being approved by the Board of Education.

At its regular meeting on Monday, March 16, the board unanimously approved the first reading of the policy, which allows student-athletes to substitute physical education for a study hall while their sport is in season, for example, the first marking period when a football player is actively practicing and playing after school.

The idea has been batted around for a couple years, and took the board’s policy committee many meetings to come to terms on a proposed policy.

The policy is not mandatory, rather, a choice for the individual student-athlete to make. A student-athlete already with a study hall or IRT – Independent Responsibility Time – would not be eligible for the proposed policy. It is confined to student-athletes without a free period during the day.

A current policy in the district allows any junior or senior student, regardless of extra-curricular activities, to substitute one marking period of physical education for a free period at any point in the school year. The proposed policy would add to that.

For one board member, the policy is good, but could go even further.

Mendham Borough representative Brian Cavanaugh said he’d like to see the proposed policy be available to juniors as well, saying that was the school year his children seemed to be the most bogged down by school work, and were often awake past midnight to complete their assignments.

Washington Township representative Lisa Woodring, a member of the policy committee, said the change could result in students taking on more classes.

“We could see a behavior change for the good,” Woodring said before the 8-0 vote (Marcia Asdal was not present). “With this option, student-athletes may now feel like they can take on a new elective (rather than taking a free period) or try something they didn’t have in their schedule before.”

‘Independent Ridiculous Time’

One of the district’s longest tenured teachers had choice words for the policy, and believed just the opposite was necessary.

Kevin Hennelly, physical education teacher and football coach for some 20 years in the district, spoke to the board before the vote was taken, and vehemently disagreed with the purpose of the proposed policy.

“As a father and a physical education teacher, this is not the best thing for our kids,” Hennelly said. “Students don’t need an extra hour of exemptions.”

Hennelly said he “wasn’t a fan” of the current structure that allowed students to have an IRT, which he dubbed “Independent Ridiculous Time.” The teacher said the nearly hour-long lunch period is a lot of time to catch up on school work, and if a student-athlete ever asks the coach for help with time off to complete school work, he works with the teen to accomplish that.

“I coach football and track, and you’d think I’d be the first one to say (student-athletes) need more time off,” he said. “But if there’s anything they need, it’s more interaction with other students.”

Hennelly alluded to students spending more time using technology devices and being less social in school, commenting that gym class is the perfect time to interact with one another.

“If you really want to know who needs the extra time off, it’s the kid who leaves school and has to work until 10 p.m. before he or she can start homework,” he said. “I don’t think we have it right. Another period off is not necessary.”

The second and final reading of the policy is up for a vote at the board’s April 27 meeting. The session begins at 7 p.m. and will be held at Mendham High School.

Subscribe to Long Valley Patch’s free daily newsletter for more local news, and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox, by clicking here.

Subscribe to Mendham-Chester Patch’s free daily newsletter for more local news, and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox, by clicking here.