The regular board meeting of Shepherd School District (SSD) started with a passionate hearing of the public as Sari Stahl and her husband brought forward their concerns about the high school girls’ basketball program. The Stahls were spurred to speak because their daughter, a Shepherd High School student, had recently been cut from the team while eighth graders had been brought up to play on the high school team. The Stahls were quick to address their daughter’s absence at one of the tryout practices, stating that they understood the reasoning behind the cut but questioned the overall cultural implications of the decision.
The Stahls stated their daughter greatly benefited from the routine and discipline instilled by the basketball program and had hoped the school district might encourage the growth of those values rather than punish students for lapses. The Stahls stated that their daughter had been a strong member of the program in the prior few years and she had been incredibly excited for the upcoming season showing enthusiasm and determination to join the team. Sari Stahl stated that less than 9% of the girls in the SSD have tried out for the basketball program; Stahl asked the board if a culture of rigid policy may have contributed to the decreased interest in the program. In a later statement Superintendent Drea O’Donnell said, “Our numbers in girls’ basketball are down this year but just like all Class B schools, numbers fluctuate in various programs year to year. We have had C squad teams in the past, and we expect to have them again in the future.” With the Stahls’ concerns heard, the Board Chair Carl Openshaw closed the hearing of the public stating that under Montana state open meeting laws the board was unable to discuss or take action on items brought forth … Read rest of story here.
