superman7515
November 22nd, 2012, 10:22 AM
http://todaynews.today.com/_news/2012/11/21/15341784-high-school-football-team-out-of-playoffs-after-special-needs-player-ruled-ineligible?lite=obinsite
Despite an amazing winning season, an undefeated high school football team in South Carolina has been barred from its state playoffs over the eligibility of one of its players, a student with special needs.
A request for an injunction to reinstate the disputed player was denied by a federal judge on Wednesday afternoon, leaving the team's players and parents heartbroken.
On Wednesday morning, the attorney for Justice Roemello Rogers, an 18-year-old senior from Goose Creek High School, filed a federal lawsuit against the South Carolina High School League seeking to be reinstated under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that prevents discrimination against people with disabilities by public agencies, according to court papers. U.S. District Judge Court Weston C. Houck, declined to hear the case on Wednesday afternoon because the SCHSL had not been served with the lawsuit yet, according to a report by Charleston NBC affiliate WCBD-TV. The lawyer for Rogers, Jason Moss, told the Charleston Post & Gazette that he faxed the papers to the SCHSL but admitted the SCHSL was not officially served with the lawsuit.
A pair of state senators, Paul Campbell and Larry Grooms, were in attendance at the courthouse, and Grooms told WCBD that he was disappointed the appeal was thrown out on a technicality. Goose Creek, which was 13-0, had to forfeit 10 games in which the Rogers was dressed to play and was disqualified from the playoffs. Both senators promised changes to the SCHSL after the judge's ruling.
"There will be a bill pre-filed to revoke the charter of the High School League, Grooms told reporters outside the courthouse in Charleston.
The High School League has made a huge mistake, Campbell said.
Despite an amazing winning season, an undefeated high school football team in South Carolina has been barred from its state playoffs over the eligibility of one of its players, a student with special needs.
A request for an injunction to reinstate the disputed player was denied by a federal judge on Wednesday afternoon, leaving the team's players and parents heartbroken.
On Wednesday morning, the attorney for Justice Roemello Rogers, an 18-year-old senior from Goose Creek High School, filed a federal lawsuit against the South Carolina High School League seeking to be reinstated under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that prevents discrimination against people with disabilities by public agencies, according to court papers. U.S. District Judge Court Weston C. Houck, declined to hear the case on Wednesday afternoon because the SCHSL had not been served with the lawsuit yet, according to a report by Charleston NBC affiliate WCBD-TV. The lawyer for Rogers, Jason Moss, told the Charleston Post & Gazette that he faxed the papers to the SCHSL but admitted the SCHSL was not officially served with the lawsuit.
A pair of state senators, Paul Campbell and Larry Grooms, were in attendance at the courthouse, and Grooms told WCBD that he was disappointed the appeal was thrown out on a technicality. Goose Creek, which was 13-0, had to forfeit 10 games in which the Rogers was dressed to play and was disqualified from the playoffs. Both senators promised changes to the SCHSL after the judge's ruling.
"There will be a bill pre-filed to revoke the charter of the High School League, Grooms told reporters outside the courthouse in Charleston.
The High School League has made a huge mistake, Campbell said.