Proposal to Limit Sports for Foreign Students Rejected

A proposal that would have ruled many foreign students in Southern California ineligible for high school athletics was rejected Thursday by the Southern Section of the California Interscholastic Federation.

Principals representing leagues from the Southern Section in a meeting at Norwalk voted 34 to 21 against the proposal, which was initiated by Corona del Mar Principal Dennis Evans.

The proposal would have banned foreign students who do not live with their parents or who are not enrolled in any of 11 approved exchange programs from participating in interscholastic athletics at the Southern Section’s 474 high schools.

It also would have limited the eligibility status of foreign exchange students to the sub-varsity level. Foreign students living in Southern California with their parents would have remained eligible for varsity sports.

Vehement Critic

Robert A. Boehme, principal at Westminster High School, was a vehement critic of the proposal. About 500 Southeast Asian students attend the school.

“I feel relieved,” Boehme said. “I hadn’t talked to a lot of league representatives, so I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve voiced my concerns about this rule in the past, and I’m just glad many of my colleagues felt the same way about it.

“My point of view as an educator is that we’re assimilating these kids into American high schools and teaching them the American way. We’re telling them that you can go to school here, but you can’t play. That’s wrong.”

Neil Case, president of the Sunkist League in the Riverside area, also argued strongly against the proposal. Case said he felt that the ruling was unfair to foreign exchange students who are screened closely by various state-approved agencies.

“Our league has a rule where seniors are eligible only for varsity competition,” he said. “Most of our foreign exchange students come here for their senior years. This rule would eliminate the foreign exchange student from all competition in our league.”

‘Training Ground’ Concern

Evans introduced the proposal two months ago because of concern that some area high schools were becoming training grounds for foreign athletes.

But critics thought it would unfairly penalize a significant portion of Southeast Asian and Central American students, many of whom play badminton, soccer and tennis.

Evans said the vote on the proposal was closer than he anticipated, but he said he wasn’t sure if he would pursue the issue.

“It’s up to the rules committee,” he said. “Our rationale is simply: Why give rights to foreign exchange students that we don’t give to our own students? We have eligibility rules for our students, why not foreign exchange students?”

Surprised at Outcome

Stan Thomas, chairman of the Blue Book (rules) Committee and the newly named commissioner of the Southern Section, said he was surprised at the outcome of the vote.

“I thought it would be closer,” he said, “and it was defeated soundly. The message here is that our schools want equity for everybody.

“The portion that eliminated the eligibility of foreign students didn’t sit well with many principals.”

But Thomas added: “I think the intent of the rule is a good one. We’re trying to eliminate the superstar foreign athlete from being recruited to this country.”