Michael Kelley is a special needs student at Wichita East High School in Kansas. Like most Kansans, he loves basketball and plays in a recreational league. His parents are proud of his dedication to the game and bought him a letter jacket that he wore with pride. That is,
until this week:
“Another parent, from what I am told, was upset that my son was wearing his letter jacket.”
The mother claims her son was asked to take that jacket off and was given a sweat shirt to wear instead.
The school claimed it was school policy, but the Athletic Director for the entire school district says it is NOT district policy:
The family turned to J. Means, USD 259’s Athletic Director. He told the family that when he was the athletic director at Northwest High their policy was to allow special needs students to earn letters, just like other athletes.
Jolinda Kelley wants the school to change the policy so that athletes of all abilities can show their school pride:
“It’s not just my son. It’s every student that was out there last night. It’s every student that’s there on Fridays that plays their hardest and to the best of their capability regardless what that is.”
Congrats to the parent who complained—you've just earned a varsity letter in asshole-ness.
See KSN-TV's video report below the fold.