Board Weighs Appeal in School Activities Case

Irvine school officials are trying to determine whether other school boards around the state want them to appeal a court decision that found the district’s eligibility policy for cheerleaders to be unfair.

The 4th District Court of Appeal ruled last month that the school district should create a uniform eligibility criteria to cover all students who participate in extracurricular activities.

Under current policy, student athletes must maintain a 2.0 grade-point average out of a possible 4.0, while cheerleaders and student government members must maintain a 2.5 average.

Superintendent David E. Brown said Wednesday that the court ruling has statewide implications because other districts have similar two-tier eligibility rules.

In Irvine, the more difficult criterion is reserved for students--like cheerleaders--whose activities run for more than one semester.

The district has asked the California School Board Assn. whether its members want Irvine to appeal the decision. The association is made up of school officials from across the state.

“We’d like to know what other districts have to say about this,” said Brown, adding that Irvine would be unlikely to pursue the appeal if other districts don’t express interest and support.

The Irvine school board is set to decide the issue on June 29.

The May court decision related to a suit filed several years ago by a Woodbridge High School yell squad leader who was forced off the team after her grade-point average dropped below 2.5.