Okay... I just read this article and it's as wonky to me as the Conyers incidents in the GDP section.
The article is posted below,
please click on the link to see the video:
Teen Athlete Claims She Was Benched for Pregnancy
A Texas teen claims she was benched from her high school volleyball team because she is pregnant and that her coach told her teammates the big news without consulting her, according to ESPN.Senior Mackenzie McCollum was a starting setter on the Arlington Heights High School volleyball team in Fort Worth, Texas, and according to Good Morning America, the school's athletic coordinator ordered her off the team until she could provide a note from her doctor after he found out she was pregnant.
After she got the note, the 17-year-old found that in her absence coach Jack Warren informed her teammates that she is expecting, Good Morning America reports. She was further distraught when her playing time was drastically reduced despite of her doctor's note saying that she was perfectly healthy and capable of participating on the team.
"He told me that he always does this before people move up and before the seniors leave, and then I looked on the court and everyone else was still there," McCollum tells Good Morning America, choking up. "I felt like this was the one thing that I could count on ... that everything would be OK and everything would work out and then that, too, was taken away, so it made me feel like I was kind of left with nothing to really count on."
The teen's mother, Barbara Horton, filed four complaints against the district alleging that the school discriminated against her daughter "on the basis of her sex and retaliated against her." The government opened an investigation of the case, because gender discrimination is a violation of Title IX, a federal law that prohibits such acts in athletics.
"My goal is for them to change their policies to include pregnant athletes," Horton said, "to nurture pregnant athletes, and to make sure that these athletes are successful."
Okay...now I'll give my input on this. I know how I stand on both problems I see proposed in this article.
The first is if pregnant teens should be allowed to play in sports activities. If the athlete intends to continue playing I'd have to question her sanity. But let's say she does, I would descriminate against which sports. In this the student is volleyball player. I used to play volleyball and soccer in elementary, and volleyball and badminton in high school--- in volleyball no matter what position you play there is often rough contact, by accident, within your team. And you can easily take a bad spill and be in some serious pain. So considering the teen wants to keep the baby, even if she was cleared by a doctor----I doubt I'd allow her to play. Anything can go wrong when you put yourself in a position of injury and if you intend to keep the child, it shouldn't be an added burden upon your team mate to be continously watchng your back during the game. The game then becomes about you and not, well, the game. Plus they would bear the added burden if anything did happen to cause her to miscarry.
I realize it's a difficult position...but I just can't see the amount of extra work needed for her alone as something efficient. But I'm sure others here will disagree and I understand the other argument, I just think it's dangerous. And to be honest unless the sport is fishing and badminton, I don't know how she'd be out of possible injury or having her heat rate increase only to a certain number.
The second issue was the position of the coach. I have to agree that the coach was totally out of line and definitely should be reprimanded or suspended without pay for his actions (ie telling why he removed her from the team). You don't call out her personal business. I think he had reason to bench her, but to publicly announce his reasons when she clearly said she didn't want others to know was out of line. <<----But THIS takes me to another point.
This is related to the video: Note how the teen states she didn't want anyone to know and wanted to continue on playing and yet she assured her doctor that her team would look out for her. You don't want anyone to know but you won't tell your team? How are they supposed to look out for you on the court while you're pregnant.
I just say, but the game on hold considering your pregnant. But she still wanted to play...what your thoughts everyone. I think it's a hard position to choose, in relation to the first part. I had to really think on how I feel about that one.
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