Comments on: “Pay to play” in the East Bay?

By: Phil Martin

Phil Martin — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:22:13 +0000

I’n our city you are charged between 450 and 500 dollars to play a sport. I want to get the facts on this. The AD did not say this was voluntary, but did not use the word manitory either. I had an issues with my son during the football season where he was told, you can not be on the field till you have your money I’n.
I was not very happy that this was put on a 13 year old. I have no issue with helping out the school or paying. I just do not believe that a kid should be excluded due to money at a public school. I read the law and it states that no coach or AD would know if you had or had not paid. I guess so they wouldn’t hold it against the player.
Bottom line what is or isn’t the law???

By: krista866

krista866 — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 01:16:10 +0000

I notice one post suggests the PTA pay for sports. As a member of the PTA, I am a huge supporter of sports, music and arts in school. Unfortunately there seems to be a misunderstanding regarding PTA and funding. The mission of PTA is not a fundraising organization. P is for Parents, T is for teachers and A is for association so the main purpose is to have parents and teachers work together \
To promote the welfare of the children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship.
To raise the standards of home life.
To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth.
To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth.
To develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages in physical, mental, social, and spiritual education.

So simply stated, PTA can and is an integral part of advocating for sports and persuing legislation that can pressure the state legislators of CA to pass a budget that ensures the education and sports and music and art programs are adequately funded.
Remember, PTA is not a fundraising organization, but some school PTAs have gone that route to help schools, although they should not. The state should be doing that!

By: berkeleymom

berkeleymom — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 21:39:05 +0000

“Public high school in Tracy makes parents pay for the bus to pick up their student”

This is legal to do so. Not in the same legal category as pay for play, etc.

By: Hills Parent 13

Hills Parent 13 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:39:35 +0000

There should be more play to play options! Sports aren’t mandatory and those that play should either contribute toward or foot the bill for the costs involved. I’d rather see money going toward academics in our schools rather than extra-curricular or enrichment classes. Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for the extras too but I believe that those who participate in them should pay for them!

For those kids who can’t afford to, hopefully there is a scholarship fund. Otherwise, it might be a sad reality that they might not be able to participate in some things. That’s life, unfortunately, and nearly everyone has been in a situation, generally speaking, where they haven’t been able to do something because they couldn’t afford it.

As for bus service, again, parents should have to at least contribute toward that cost as well.

By: maryann oneil

maryann oneil — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:39:13 +0000

Public high school in Tracy makes parents pay for the bus to pick up their student

By: Mom that is paying

Mom that is paying — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 04:44:57 +0000

I have paid for the last 4 years matter of fact we are raising $250 to play this year. And that is just one sport. What happens to a child that can’t afford the program? I understand that schools are strapped but so are parents. I was surprised to find out that this was illegal based on a 1984 supreme court ruling.

By: Clay Boggess

Clay Boggess — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:33:27 +0000

I am not opposed to ‘pay to play’ for extracurricular sports as long as it can be shown that the money is actually going to the specified activity. Hey, we pay when we sign our kids up for sports leagues why not school sports as well?

By: Mick Fishner

Mick Fishner — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:27:09 +0000

Katy Murphy is barking up the wrong tree. Pay to play is the correct manner to proceed with high school sports, otherwise high school sports will whither away, and private companies will own the market. This is already the case in basketball with AAU. Pay to play is the most efficient and economic manner to handle high school sport participation.

By: Rex

Rex — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:09:47 +0000

With the budget crunch in the Bay Area, most Bay Area High Schools will soon have to ‘Pay-to-Play.’

The transportation is the biggest issue.

Either teams have to ‘Pay-to-Play’ or schools will have to cut sports.

Which do people want?

By: Is “Pay to play” the new way? | East Bay Prep Corner

Is “Pay to play” the new way? | East Bay Prep Corner — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:57:39 +0000

[...] utilizing a “pay to play” structure, which is illegal in the state of California. Check out Katy’s post here and she’s asked that if anyone might have information about schools looking to charge [...]