LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – A rule change in Laurel County will block some students from being able to play football.
East Bernstadt Independent School does not offer football. Because of this, their students have long been able to play football at North Laurel Middle School. However, the district says this will no longer be the case.
“Our children were so brokenhearted and disheartened,” said parent Mallory Johnson.
Johnson says her rising sixth-grade son was excited to play football this coming school year. However, at Monday night’s practice, she says East Bernstadt Independent students were told that practice would be their last.
“It felt like a rug has been slipped out under us, and our hands are tied,” said Johnson.
In a statement to WKYT, Laurel County Schools said that for years, East Bernstadt Independent School students have been able to play football at North Laurel Middle School since the independent district doesn’t offer football. However, they say this will no longer be allowed “due to insurance and liability.”
Sara Adams’ son is also a rising sixth grader at East Bernstadt who was excited to play on the North Laurel team.
“If he doesn’t go to their school, North Laurel Middle School, he wouldn’t be allowed to play. So now he’s not wanting to leave his friends that’s stayed at their school they’ve known for the past five years, and preschool. So it’s a really big decision that we’re having to make,” said Adams.
Adams says she hopes the district will reconsider.
“We’d like to get to the bottom of it, figure out what we could do, whether it be a waiver, something we could agree on, pay towards, anything that we could do to make it still be accessible for these kids and the future kids, kids after our kids, they should still be allowed to play,” said Adams.
WKYT has reached out to East Bernstadt Independent School for comment, but we have not heard back.
Read Laurel County Schools’ full statement below:
For many years, the Laurel County School District has permitted students enrolled in the East Bernstadt Independent School District to play football at North Laurel Middle School because football was not offered as a sport at East Bernstadt School. The East Bernstadt Independent School District zone is within the North Laurel district of the Laurel County School District. However, due to insurance and liability, students enrolled in other school districts may no longer be permitted to participate in extracurricular activities in Laurel County Schools. While this change is unfortunate, it is necessary. Any child is welcome to enroll in the Laurel County School that services their residential district and participate in the extracurriculars offered at that school.
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