In yet another example of insensitive, zero-tolerance approaches, school faculty members of Wichita East High in Wichita, Kansas reportedly compelled a special needs student athlete having both Down syndrome and autism to remove a varsity letter his mother bought for him. He was given instead a girl’s sweater to wear.
School officials stated he could not wear the varsity letter because he was not a member of the varsity team. Apparently they were forced to act upon this transgression because “one parent complained” and therefore no exception could be made for this student.
Nineteen year old Michael Kelley participates in extra-curricular basketball. His family bought him a varsity letter similar to what other students at the high school wear as a tribute to honor his athletic achievements.
Michael’s mother, Jolinda Kelley, says her adopted son is one of a kind and loves to play basketball. When Michael was recognized by the school for participating in the special needs team, she bought a varsity letter and sewed it to his jacket. She was shocked to learn he was asked by the school to take off the jacket.
The letter of the law seems to apply strictly to varsity letters.
Wichita East High School Principal Ken Thiessen in an interview with KSN news: “Teachers told the parents they would prefer he not wear the letter on his jacket.”
When asked if the school would consider giving a varsity letter to special needs students he replied:
Principal Ken Thiessen
“We have considered it, and our decision was no. We decided that is not appropriate in our situation because it is not a varsity level competition.”
KSN discovered this was not a district-wide policy. The high school seemed to be acting on its own accord.
Jolinda says she understands each school can make the rules, but she wants to see a change.
“It’s not just my son. It’s every student that was out there last night. It’s every student that’s there on Fridays that plays their hardest and to the best of their capability regardless what that is.”
The question remains as to why a varsity letter is such a hallowed emblem that it cannot be tarnished by having someone wearing one who is not a member of the athletic club. Free speech issues aside, how about showing some compassion or at least looking the other way? It is doubtful the majority of students themselves would act with such rigidity to Michael’s choice to wear a letterman jacket.
But if rules must be followed regarding uniforms those with special needs cannot participate in the Police Chief / Sheriff For a Day programs because those kids are not true law enforcement officers.
Now that this has hit the national news media, the administration of Wichita East High School will soon be tempest-tossed by the media storm on the horizon.
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134 thoughts on “Student With Down Syndrome Told By Faculty He Cannot Wear Varsity Letter Jacket”
If it’s “just high school stuff”, why not demand a scholarship to MIT?
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I equate a letter with accomplishment.
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This is high school stuff, you equate a letter with a profession? Ridiculous.
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Think about it from my Mom’s point of view.
This act looks like pity.
She hated pity.
She made my brothers work and act like the rest of us, to the best of their ability.
They got no extra breaks for being retarded.
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Hmmm. Maybe the varsity basketball team could loan the principal a pair of balls???
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
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“Let the kid wear the letter, really who is it going to hurt?
Everyone who earned it.
Why not give him an RN?
Who’s it going to hurt?
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Let the kid wear the letter, really who is it going to hurt?
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Paul I agree entirely if the kid works at his Special Olympic sport the school should give out letters. They can arrange track and field events and it entirely appropriate to have them letter and wear the jacket just like anyone else.
It is not appropriate to have him wear a letter for a sport he did not participate in or work on. Otherwise everyone should wear letters. Or they can drop athletics. Which I am sure is the goal of commies numb skulls like issac and his ilk.
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I am glad to hear from Pogo because I know about his siblings. He is right. Just because you have Downs doesn’t mean you are stupid. They know when they have earned something and when they are getting something for nothing.
When I was growing up we had a kid who had Downs on the block. She participated in many of the street games we played to the extent of her ability. She couldn’t play stick ball but she was damn good at stoop ball and Skelly. Of course we didn’t belong to organized leagues. We didn’t have helicopter parents who arranged “play dates” and made sure every special snowflake got a medal.
That’s the problem. They need to get these kids away from the Ipad and out on the street playing.
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Issac I understand the letter doesn’t mean anything to you. So you don’t care. But I am sure if the parents of this kid demanded he get something that you earned and cared about you wouldn’t just shrug it off and give it to him.
Why not give him a law degree? A drivers license? The editorship of the Harvard Law Review?
It’s people like you who refuse to take score and give every kid a medal who are destroying America. Everybody gets a medal. Everybody wins no matter how they perform. Why work? Why practice? Why study? The government will just give it to you because someones parents will sue or complain enough that they will knuckle under to shut them up.
Why not give the athletes in the Special Olympics the medals they award in the regular Olympics? It is just a symbol of athletic achievement after all.
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I have to side with trooper here.
I have two (two!) retarded siblings. I do not see the point of handing out unearned awards to them. They aren’t stupid. Both of them would know it wasn’t for anything they did.
I do think it would be wise, if mainstreaming must be done, to have some avenue for them to earn a letter.
But it should not be for nothing, or it means nothing, even to my brother the tard.
I keed, I keed.
Lighten up, Francis.
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Like transgenders, he should say he is a varsity letter winner because he feels like a varsity letter winner.
Check your athletic privilege!
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Trooperyork
The letter now means nothing. The attitude, achievement, spirit mean something. That cannot be taken away by a mindless schmuck of a parent or a narcissistic student of that parent.
In the best interests of the US, I hope Scandinavia comes here. We are sorely lacking if your position represents in the least you. I know there are others and unfortunately they number in the dangerous millions. They are a vanishing species and seem to squawk the louder as they diminish.
What the letter represents is what is important and the parent, principal and if so the student of the parent don’t have anything in common with the letter. The only person who should not be allowed to wear the letter is the student of the parent who complained. He should strap on a pair and sort his parents out.
Trooperyork, you got nothing.
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they shoed that lil angel who is boss!
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IANAL, but it seems to me that a varsity letter is a ‘trophy’ of sorts for participating in a varsity sport. The kid did not play in a varsity sport and was not awarded a varsity letter. Ergo, the letter he was wearing was not a varsity letter, was it? The school rules may prohibit a non-varsity player from wearing a varsity letter, but they don’t prohibit a non-varsity player from wearing a non-varsity letter, do they? And even if the school rules do prohibit such a thing, is the school claiming it has a trademark on the letter “W” and trademark infringements are properly a disciplinary matter? Or is the school claiming that “school rules” trump the First Amendment? If the kid wants to wear his letter on his jacket, he has a free speech rights argument I think. (I did mention IANAL, didn’t I?)
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Jerryskids – school principals are the gods of authority. They RULE!!!
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I have a lot of sympathy for a Down’s syndrome child. They should be part of the school and participate as much as they can. To the best of their abilities. People should be kind and help them as much as they can.
But a Varsity Letter does mean something. I understand that most of the people here do not value sports or the fact that a letter means something. It is a symbol of achievement that is earned by hard work, talent and determination. It might not mean anything to you but it means something to the people that earned it. If they are fine with it then I am too. If they are not then their wishes should be respected.
We don’t live in a world where we don’t keep score and everyone gets a medal. Despite what you commie liberals want to foist on us.
If you want that move to Scandinavia or something.
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trooperyork – I would say that if the Down’s Syndrome child worked as hard at his Special Olympics sport, he should letter just like the varsity athletes. As well as his comrades in that sport. The ADA requires ‘reasonable accommodation’ and giving these students a varsity letter is reasonable. Particularly since other schools in the district do not have the same policy.
What is really sad about this is the student body is supporting the Down’s Syndrome child and his mother. They are probably p*ssed at the principal.
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Wait a minute. Mom bought the varsity letter. From the school?
I have no problem limiting letters to varsity players that have earned them by making the team and playing for the school. But if the school is going to sell them in open market, does the school have an enforceable right to restrict the wearing of the letter?
This is a legal blog, dammit. Get legal, and stop the whining about “special needs”.
These kids are being “mainstreamed”, which is another PC error.
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Don Thomas – I went to a different school where I lettered as a freshman, when I transferred I was not allowed to wear my letterman’s jacket at the new school. I could wear it around town, but it just was too much trouble fighting half the football team on the weekend.
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I think one can buy fireworks in Kansas. Some kid needs to blow the Principal’s mailbox at his home up with some cherry bombs tied together. Don’t do it unless the mailbox is one of those rural boxes on a post at the street.
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In order to show support for special needs students, it would be great if all the other students in Wichita East High pinned varsity letters on their jackets. When Michael is allowed to wear a letter, the “protest” would end.
“It’s not just my son. It’s every student that was out there last night. It’s every student that’s there on Fridays that plays their hardest and to the best of their capability regardless what that is.”
If it’s “just high school stuff”, why not demand a scholarship to MIT?
I equate a letter with accomplishment.
This is high school stuff, you equate a letter with a profession? Ridiculous.
Think about it from my Mom’s point of view.
This act looks like pity.
She hated pity.
She made my brothers work and act like the rest of us, to the best of their ability.
They got no extra breaks for being retarded.
Hmmm. Maybe the varsity basketball team could loan the principal a pair of balls???
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
“Let the kid wear the letter, really who is it going to hurt?
Everyone who earned it.
Why not give him an RN?
Who’s it going to hurt?
Let the kid wear the letter, really who is it going to hurt?
Paul I agree entirely if the kid works at his Special Olympic sport the school should give out letters. They can arrange track and field events and it entirely appropriate to have them letter and wear the jacket just like anyone else.
It is not appropriate to have him wear a letter for a sport he did not participate in or work on. Otherwise everyone should wear letters. Or they can drop athletics. Which I am sure is the goal of commies numb skulls like issac and his ilk.
I am glad to hear from Pogo because I know about his siblings. He is right. Just because you have Downs doesn’t mean you are stupid. They know when they have earned something and when they are getting something for nothing.
When I was growing up we had a kid who had Downs on the block. She participated in many of the street games we played to the extent of her ability. She couldn’t play stick ball but she was damn good at stoop ball and Skelly. Of course we didn’t belong to organized leagues. We didn’t have helicopter parents who arranged “play dates” and made sure every special snowflake got a medal.
That’s the problem. They need to get these kids away from the Ipad and out on the street playing.
Issac I understand the letter doesn’t mean anything to you. So you don’t care. But I am sure if the parents of this kid demanded he get something that you earned and cared about you wouldn’t just shrug it off and give it to him.
Why not give him a law degree? A drivers license? The editorship of the Harvard Law Review?
It’s people like you who refuse to take score and give every kid a medal who are destroying America. Everybody gets a medal. Everybody wins no matter how they perform. Why work? Why practice? Why study? The government will just give it to you because someones parents will sue or complain enough that they will knuckle under to shut them up.
Why not give the athletes in the Special Olympics the medals they award in the regular Olympics? It is just a symbol of athletic achievement after all.
I have to side with trooper here.
I have two (two!) retarded siblings. I do not see the point of handing out unearned awards to them. They aren’t stupid. Both of them would know it wasn’t for anything they did.
I do think it would be wise, if mainstreaming must be done, to have some avenue for them to earn a letter.
But it should not be for nothing, or it means nothing, even to my brother the tard.
I keed, I keed.
Lighten up, Francis.
Like transgenders, he should say he is a varsity letter winner because he feels like a varsity letter winner.
Check your athletic privilege!
Trooperyork
The letter now means nothing. The attitude, achievement, spirit mean something. That cannot be taken away by a mindless schmuck of a parent or a narcissistic student of that parent.
In the best interests of the US, I hope Scandinavia comes here. We are sorely lacking if your position represents in the least you. I know there are others and unfortunately they number in the dangerous millions. They are a vanishing species and seem to squawk the louder as they diminish.
What the letter represents is what is important and the parent, principal and if so the student of the parent don’t have anything in common with the letter. The only person who should not be allowed to wear the letter is the student of the parent who complained. He should strap on a pair and sort his parents out.
Trooperyork, you got nothing.
they shoed that lil angel who is boss!
IANAL, but it seems to me that a varsity letter is a ‘trophy’ of sorts for participating in a varsity sport. The kid did not play in a varsity sport and was not awarded a varsity letter. Ergo, the letter he was wearing was not a varsity letter, was it? The school rules may prohibit a non-varsity player from wearing a varsity letter, but they don’t prohibit a non-varsity player from wearing a non-varsity letter, do they? And even if the school rules do prohibit such a thing, is the school claiming it has a trademark on the letter “W” and trademark infringements are properly a disciplinary matter? Or is the school claiming that “school rules” trump the First Amendment? If the kid wants to wear his letter on his jacket, he has a free speech rights argument I think. (I did mention IANAL, didn’t I?)
Jerryskids – school principals are the gods of authority. They RULE!!!
I have a lot of sympathy for a Down’s syndrome child. They should be part of the school and participate as much as they can. To the best of their abilities. People should be kind and help them as much as they can.
But a Varsity Letter does mean something. I understand that most of the people here do not value sports or the fact that a letter means something. It is a symbol of achievement that is earned by hard work, talent and determination. It might not mean anything to you but it means something to the people that earned it. If they are fine with it then I am too. If they are not then their wishes should be respected.
We don’t live in a world where we don’t keep score and everyone gets a medal. Despite what you commie liberals want to foist on us.
If you want that move to Scandinavia or something.
trooperyork – I would say that if the Down’s Syndrome child worked as hard at his Special Olympics sport, he should letter just like the varsity athletes. As well as his comrades in that sport. The ADA requires ‘reasonable accommodation’ and giving these students a varsity letter is reasonable. Particularly since other schools in the district do not have the same policy.
What is really sad about this is the student body is supporting the Down’s Syndrome child and his mother. They are probably p*ssed at the principal.
Wait a minute. Mom bought the varsity letter. From the school?
I have no problem limiting letters to varsity players that have earned them by making the team and playing for the school. But if the school is going to sell them in open market, does the school have an enforceable right to restrict the wearing of the letter?
This is a legal blog, dammit. Get legal, and stop the whining about “special needs”.
These kids are being “mainstreamed”, which is another PC error.
Don Thomas – I went to a different school where I lettered as a freshman, when I transferred I was not allowed to wear my letterman’s jacket at the new school. I could wear it around town, but it just was too much trouble fighting half the football team on the weekend.
I think one can buy fireworks in Kansas. Some kid needs to blow the Principal’s mailbox at his home up with some cherry bombs tied together. Don’t do it unless the mailbox is one of those rural boxes on a post at the street.
In order to show support for special needs students, it would be great if all the other students in Wichita East High pinned varsity letters on their jackets. When Michael is allowed to wear a letter, the “protest” would end.