Warsaw Community Schools' athletic policy came under fire at Monday's school board meeting when two parents of high school students objected to the "365-day rule."

Terry Milton, who said he has three children attending Warsaw Community High School, called the 365-day rule "overly punitive" and said it is the "toughest policy in the United States.

"Punishment of one year for the first offense is, in my opinion, tantamount to child abuse," he said.

Milton was referring to Warsaw's athletic code, which specifies that a first violation of WCS' drug and alcohol policy will result in an athlete being suspended from competition for 365 days. The athlete would still be able to practice and travel with the team.

Instead of the suspension, Milton said, athletes who violate the code should be required to perform community service.

"What is the point of encouraging our young people to get involved in positive events if we take it away on the first offense?" Milton said. "In my opinion, this is not the way God-fearing Christian people treat each other."

Bill Tidmore, another high school father, joined Milton in his opinion and said, "The issue is if the school has the right to punish a kid for doing something during the summer when it's not on school time."

School board member Roy Szymanski responded to Milton and Tidmore, saying, "They know what they're doing in taking that first drink. ... Should we say, 'Go ahead and put on that uniform,' or should we say, 'It's a privilege to put on that uniform'?"

Emphasizing that kids who were punished by the 365-day rule were punished because they broke the law, Szymanski said, "We've got an administration that cares enough about these kids to give them a wake-up call."

School board president Craig Allebach told Milton and Tidmore that the board wrestled with the issue for several years, and their concerns would be considered next year when the policy comes up for review.

Public concerns and ideas also will be on the table at the first meeting of the committees for the community-based planning project, said Superintendent Dr. Lee Harman.

He said there will be two committees of 25 people each, and the first meeting will be Nov. 30 at WCHS. The committees' purpose will be to help guide the school board in developing its strategic plan, or its long-term plan for the direction of education in the district.

Committee members include teachers, members of the administration and area business and social services people.

The Nov. 30 meeting will be open to the public.

In other business:

• WCS Business Manager Rande Thorpe said the school district's computers are prepared for Y2K and few problems are anticipated.

• The board approved the transportation department's advertising for bids for six school buses. Della Swain, transportation director, said the buses will replace five 66-passenger buses and one van; each of the five buses now has logged more than 160,000 miles.

Deadline for bids will be Dec. 10, and Swain will make a recommendation on purchases at the January school board meeting.

• The board reviewed employment policies, such as those covering substitute teachers, personnel records, performance evaluations and professional licenses. No action was taken Monday and a final decision will be made at a later board meeting.

The school board meets next at 7 p.m. Dec. 14 in the administration building. [[In-content Ad]]