TSSAA & Lenoir City holding a young man back

[HTV]

Where did he start his high school career? I think the issue here is that he has moved more than once. TSSAA allows one move from the school your clock starts at.

 

That has nothing to do with it. 

 

It has everything to do with his standing when he left his previous school. 

 

And I see a lot of comparing his move with the Middleton move from Powell to Oak Ridge. 

 

Those are two totally different situations. 

 

Honestly, I wish Woods could play, but as I understand it this is a pretty cut and dried eligibility, or non elgibility as the case may be, rule book situation. 

[endofbcs]

That has nothing to do with it. 

 

It has everything to do with his standing when he left his previous school. 

 

And I see a lot of comparing his move with the Middleton move from Powell to Oak Ridge. 

 

Those are two totally different situations. 

 

Honestly, I wish Woods could play, but as I understand it this is a pretty cut and dried eligibility, or non elgibility as the case may be, rule book situation. 

No it isnt....the rule book says that if a student transfers while under discipline the student must sit out for 12 months or for the duration of the discipline, whichever is less. Jaylond was suspended for 5 days, served the suspension & then transferred. Therefore his punishment was over. Also, 5 days is a lot less than 12 months. If he was still at LC they would have him on the field no doubt about it.

[TomJoad]

No it isnt....the rule book says that if a student transfers while under discipline the student must sit out for 12 months or for the duration of the discipline, whichever is less. Jaylond was suspended for 5 days, served the suspension & then transferred. Therefore his punishment was over. Also, 5 days is a lot less than 12 months. If he was still at LC they would have him on the field no doubt about it.

So why does it matter what LC said in the letter?

Edited August 19, 2014 by TomJoad

[HTV]

So why does it matter what LC said in the letter?

 

Because that's what determines if a student is still under disciplanary constraints or not. 

 

Has anybody stopped and asked the question as to why Lenoir City High didn't amend the letter?  Just for discussion, could there still have been some issues? 

 

No dog in the hunt here, but it would seem to me like the student's parent/guardian would have a pretty good case against Lenior City if there is nothing there. 

[endofbcs]

LC athletic director wrote a letter stating that Woods did not leave for athletic reasons & then said however before he left he had become a discipline problem, I am getting this info from someone that is very close to the situation. The discipline problems arose mainly from tardies & not wanting to give his cell phone up....typical teenage stupidity, but not enough to sit a kid out from his whole senior season of football. LC is just mad that they lost a great football player......they did the same thing to Camion Patrick when he left to attend Knox West. They know how to word it to make a kid sit the bench.

[endofbcs]

TSSAA did not investigate, if they would look at the discipline record they would laugh & make him eligible. They at least owe the kid that much.

[MountainTroll]

Don't know the details of this case. T$$AA follows the black and white letter of their by-laws, so they don't get sued again.  They don't examine the intent of rule when it was written or why it might be worded one way or another. They only investigate to the point that they identify a violation of the eligibility rules as written. Regardless of how minor or insignificant that violation.  I don't think they want to investigate any of these cases. They only do it when somebody forces them to. They don't take into account intent or extenuating circumstances.Those are subjective, and variations in how they ruled will get them sued in today's legal environment.

 

It's really kind of sad, but probably unavoidable. 

[kdog54321]

Don't know the details of this case. T$$AA follows the black and white letter of their by-laws, so they don't get sued again.  They don't examine the intent of rule when it was written or why it might be worded one way or another. They only investigate to the point that they identify a violation of the eligibility rules as written. Regardless of how minor or insignificant that violation.  I don't think they want to investigate any of these cases. They only do it when somebody forces them to. They don't take into account intent or extenuating circumstances.Those are subjective, and variations in how they ruled will get them sued in today's legal environment.

 

It's really kind of sad, but probably unavoidable. 

Problem is L.C. knows how to word it to screw the kid. The last line of letter read he is on a Discipline plan. The L.C hand book says you can be placed  on a plan after one tardy. They can use that wording to stop all athletes from being able to play after leaving. I really just cant understand how any coach or principal can do what they did and still say they are in education to help the kids. 

[TomJoad]

Because that's what determines if a student is still under disciplanary constraints or not.

 

Has anybody stopped and asked the question as to why Lenoir City High didn't amend the letter? Just for discussion, could there still have been some issues?

 

No dog in the hunt here, but it would seem to me like the student's parent/guardian would have a pretty good case against Lenior City if there is nothing there.

Exactly. Endofbcs made it seem as if there was nothing else going on. The LC administrators must have thought and said otherwise. And now endof says there were OTHER issues but they were of the teenage stupidity kind.

[92Dragon]

I have met this young man and he is just your typical teenager. He loves to cut up and have a great time! I have already seen he has a big heart and loves his teammates. I haven't seen or heard of him being a bad kid to this point.

I think everyone deserves a second chance.

[cbg]

The kid just needs to attend a prep school/boarding school in another state.  This would allow him to play football, focus on developing stronger academics and mature by being away from home.

[ORidgeKat]

Woods would be eligible if LC hadn't included the discipline plan bs. They never did write the letter for Camion, but he was one credit shy of being eligible. Camion was enrolled in a summer course to make up that credit but he did not finish the course on time. He was one day past the deadline. And again the letter never came. LC also turned West in for Terrance Hall. TSSAA did a brief investigation and cleared him.