Press Release
Dr. Victoria Martin, a Child Psychiatrist in Richardson, TX. is becoming increasingly concerned about the “no pass, no play” law and the effect it is having on our children.
“I am sure that this law was passed with the best of intentions but it is time to acknowledge it’s complete failure”. “According to many educators I have spoken with, there have been very few, if any, children who have truly benefited from this unjust rule”. “Many students I see as patients have definitely suffered because of it”. “It could be better titled the “no pass, no live” law for many children”. Dr. Martin feels strongly that if weighed in the balance, this rule does far more damage than good. It is a means by which children who are already feeling like failures are made to feel even more so. It takes away from many of them their only source of achievement and self-esteem. This will only lead to increasing anger, frustration and hopelessness”.
Dr. Martin continued by saying: “Instead of beating these children down even more, we should be encouraging them to participate in activities where they have talents and abilities. We are punishing the “good” kids, the ones who care about their school and want to participate in school activities instead of being involved in gangs and other destructive groups.”
Dr. Martin believes that most of the kids affected by this “no pass, no play” rule, are those with learning disabilities of some kind. The ones without those disabilities have no problem negotiating academic requirements with the demands of their extra-curricular activities. By their success in the band, choir, dramatic productions, and athletics at least some of these learning challenged sudents will gain enough confidence to believe they can achieve in academics as well. Even if they fail academically or drop out of school, we will have given them the hope that they are good at something. And, believe it or not, people do make a living in music, art, athletics and using many skills that we call “extra-curricular.”
We don’t tell a child that if he is poor in math he won’t be allowed to go to English class or that if he is poor in art he won’t be allowed to learn science. The message we are sending is that “what you are good at isn’t important or valuable.” We take kids who are already struggling with fitting into this world and who are already very aware of their inadequacies in academic subjects (and doing the best they can) and just to make sure they know what “losers” they are, we deny them their only pleasure in life, the only way they do gain some sense of achievement. It’s no wonder that kids are taking guns to school!
My son went into a deep depression when he was not allowed to participate in UIL activities due to an Incomplete in one of his classes. NO PASS, NO PLAY should be changed or completely done away with. To deprive a talented student of his one area of success is cruel, harsh, and not beneficial. I read an article about No Pass, No Play that said the policy sent a powerful message that Academics Come First. No, THEY DON’T come first to a talented musician, artist, or athlete. There is also NO accommodation for students suffering from depression and ADHD — at least I was told there was not. What can we do to repeal or fix this law? If students fail, why not send them to mandatory tutoring or set up mandatory study groups for them instead of immediately banishing them? I would be very interested in participating in any group that is willing to fight NO PASS, NO PLAY.
I am a school superintendent and I completely agree with you. I continue to work on my school board to change these ridiculous policies that punish kids. I have submitted a policy that makes mandatory tutoring the consequences for having a failing grade. It is very difficult to get people to think differently about something that they have been programmed to believe is a good thing, but in reality isn’t.
I so wholehardedly agree with all of the above comments. Today my elementary school choir in the Katy ISD School District went on a trip to perform for a senior citizens’s community and local business partner . 8 of my 44 members were not allowed to attend because of the TEA/UIL regulations regarding no pass/no play. Most of these students were Hispanic (I am not sure if language played a part in their grades).All of these students are very good students (never a discipline problem). I have spent so many sleepless nights with concern for these students. I have taught music for 35 years in Texas and Katy ISD and there has never been an issue that concerns me more. Some of these kids have been already told they can’t be on safety patrol because of failing grades. We are a Title I school with many low income families. I could go on and on with the unfairness of this but I just simply don’t know what to do. This is the only issue th
(cont.) This is the only issue that has made me question why do I keep teaching: ( I have taught for 35 years). I have seen so many of my former students go on to be successful (some in the music field, and other in other fields) I have even had students tell me that being in choir helped them have confidence and self-esteem in their chosen field. I feel this law is detrimental to all students in Texas but why do elementary students have to follow the rule for extracurricular activities (like a choir trip).
I am so pleased to find this site and to hear so many people questioning this law. I am a single mother to a 15 year old daughter with ADHD. She failed English this last 6 weeks, so she has been told she is ineligible to play on her high school soccer team. Of course we are devastated. She has problems taking tests and there have been stories circulating about her English teacher and concerns about her teaching ability or lack thereof. I have written a request for a proposal to change the UIL rule on the UIL website, citing research linking physical activity to better academic performance, but my main argument is I don’t see how punishing a child in this way helps them academically. I have proposed that a student get madatory tutoring and that the teacher also be held accountable/reviewed, along with other members of the class who may have failed, to identify root cause and come up with an academic oriented solution. We have a meeting scheduled with her English teacher, the school counselor and other staff later this week to talk about the grade she received, but I’d be curious to know what progress, if any, has been made by any of you or anyone else out there opposing the law? How can we all band together to get it overturned? Thank you.