East Meadow school board voices concerns over proposed state athletic changes

The East Meadow Board of Education is opposing a New York State Education Department proposal to change its rules governing mixed competition, extra class activities and the athletic placement process.

The state’s plan would modify language to promote clarity and inclusivity in sports; update outdated sports lists; eliminate gender distinctions wherever possible; and provide clear guidelines when only one gender team is offered and allow members of the other gender to try out, among other changes.

The board has formally come out against the proposal, in a letter that it sent to the education department late last month. According to the letter, board members said, “the proposed changes to the policy pose a serious threat to girls’ interscholastic sports.”

Signing the letter were board president Jessica Ricco-Simeone, vice president David Carl and trustees Nikole De Luca, Maria Talluto and Nancy Wildman, along with East Meadow School District Superintendent Kenneth Rosner.

The state education department defended its proposal, saying it “is committed to providing athletes of all genders equal opportunities to play and participate in extra class athletic activities, as athletics are a vital part of any student’s education.”

The department said this includes promoting equality between separate male and female athletic programs and encouraging mixed gender teams.

At the board of education’s August meeting, Ricco-Simeone said the New York State School Boards Association, which governs school boards in the state, has expressed some concerns about the amendments. Ricco-Simeone added that she believes the risk factors in the proposal outweigh its benefits.

“I feel like the proposed amendment is taking away from women and putting their physical and emotional needs on the back burner,” she said. “Women have worked hard to break barriers in their sports and get scholarships in their sports, and I think we should be protecting that for the young girls of our school district and our community.”

However, Matthew Melnick, another board trustee, said he felt the language in the proposal helps eliminate “grey area” in guidelines that are currently in place with the state.

“I don’t necessarily agree that this is specifically there to go after women’s sports,” he said. “I think they’re very clear in this, that the point of the resolution is that if a school only has a sport that’s for one gender, that the opposite gender has the opportunity to play that sport.”

Melnick said districts, including East Meadow, have allowed female athletes to try out and play for football teams. He added that the code of conduct for student athletes is against engaging in “any conduct that endangers or interferes with the safety, morals, health or welfare of others, which includes discrimination on race, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability.”

Ricco-Simeone said in East Meadow, for example, the district offers field hockey — but only to female athletes. If the proposed changes go through, a male athlete would be allowed to try out.

“We’re not excluding any boys,” Talluto said. “We have to protect female athletes. Biologically, males are stronger than females. It’s not outrageous — it’s not an extreme argument. This is an argument that many other school districts are ready to argue.”

At the meeting, Ricco-Simeone said she was pleased with the discussion the board had, and thanked each of its members for being respectful. The board approved a resolution authorizing Ricco-Simeone to draft a letter, for board review and approval, to the New York State Education Department regarding the proposed changes. Once the letter was drafted, the board would again vote on it before it was sent to the state.

The letter sent to the state in late August said the board was “concerned that the proposal is discounting the progress that has been made and the equality that has been achieved for women in sports for many years.”

“When forcing females to compete with and against biological males, the risk of injury increases,” the letter further stated. “Due to the biological differences, there have been many instances of harm to female athletes who have been forced to compete against males. Dismissing concerns about the physical safety of our female athletes as ‘protectionist’ disregards the very real biological differences that exist.”

The proposed changes will be discussed at the September meeting of the state’s Board of Regents, and if adopted, would become effective on Sept. 25.

To view the entire proposal, and learn more about the changes, visit Regents.NYSED.gov.