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Superintendent Mark Bedell said the district is putting new rules in place that he hopes will help curtail some of the unruly behavior that has been shown by students since the school year began.
Bedell cited the large number of fans attending games that could lead to outbreaks of violence and take important resources away from the event being played, as well as from police and school staff that could be otherwise used more effectively to benefit the community.
He noted that over the first two weeks of the school year the district "has had several instances that have required the undue attention of school system personnel who are staffing the game, and at times, police resources over and above those specifically allocated for an event.”
To further that goal, the district announced some changes to help curtail potential disturbances, beginning with games on Friday, Sept. 16:
- All middle school and elementary school students attending athletic events must be accompanied by an adult;
- Anyone engaging in violent behavior will be removed from the premises immediately and not be permitted to return to any Anne Arundel County Public Schools campus for events for a period of 90 days;
- Student-athletes who engage in such behavior will be subject to the regulations regarding athletic participation as stipulated in the Athletics Handbook.
Other changes being considered include altering the time or date of events, or possibly limiting the number of fans allowed in the stands.
“I want to be clear that we will have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to those who wish to engage in disruptive and violent behavior at our athletic competitions or any event, for that matter," Bedell said.
“Attendance at these events is a privilege, not a right, and those who wish to engage in activities that run afoul of school system regulations and, at times, the law, should not be permitted to ruin the experience for those who attend these events to support our student-athletes.”
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