TRENTON – A bill, sponsored by Senator John H. Adler, to help disabled students play interscholastic sports in their public school district, was approved today by the Senate Education Committee.
“Disabled students who otherwise qualify to play school sports should be afforded every opportunity to participate,” said Senator Adler, D-Cherry Hill. “Being placed in a non-public school by parents should not disqualify disabled students from playing school sports.”
Senator Adler’s bill, S-1215, would change an eligibility requirement for student participation in interscholastic sports by allowing disabled children placed in non-public facilities for treatment of a disability by their parents to be on public school teams. The authorization need only be approved by the local board of education.
“The current eligibility requirement needs to be broadened because it currently allows only disabled students placed in non-public schools by their local school districts to play interscholastic sports,” said Senator Adler. “There is no reason to differentiate between disabled students placed in non-public schools by their parents or those placed by their local school districts. It just seems to be a needless obstacle to participation for disabled students who are placed by their parents.”
The measure, approved without objection, now awaits a full vote in the Senate.