An Oklahoma Senate panel rejected a proposal Monday to let charter school students participate in extracurricular activities at the public school they would otherwise attend.
Shawnee Republican Ron Sharp said allowing that would be unfair to schools.
"It would have an unfunded mandate, because you have to provide uniforms. You have to have extra coaches," Sharp said.
Senate Bill 611 covered charter and virtual charter school students. Sharp said an influx of too many students could bump a school into a higher class for sports, making the difference between being a contender and being a doormat.
"Therefore, you as a coach would be making a major, determinating [sic] problem if you allowed this child to come into your district. I don't see how that can be corrected," Sharp said.
Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association Executive Director David Jackson said there are already agreements for extracurricular activities between public schools and brick-and-mortar charter schools, which can easily verify students’ eligibility.
"Our membership requires that students are passing every class on a weekly basis," Jackson said. "There's that attendance standard."
SB611 failed in the Senate Education Committee 8–3.
