Wheelchair Athlete Can Compete Alongside Nondisabled Peers, Says Judge
"A federal judge in Baltimore granted a preliminary injunction yesterday that will allow a Howard County athlete who uses a wheelchair to compete in track alongside nondisabled competitors," reports The Baltimore Sun today.
The Maryland Disability Law Center filed suit on behalf of Tatyana McFadden, 16, a sophomore at Atholton High School and winner of two medals at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece. McFadden had been denied the chance to race alongside non-wheelchair users. . .The ruling could provide assurances of equal treatment for disabled students seeking to compete in athletics at schools across the state, said Lauren Young, director of litigation at the law center.
"We're thrilled, not only for her, but the school system got a loud and clear message that kids with disabilities get a chance to participate alongside the kids without disabilities in sports at their schools," Young said.
"The more I hear your argument, the more transparently arbitrary and capricious it becomes," U.S. District Judge Andre M. Davis told the lawyers for Howard County schools. "She's not suing for blue ribbons, gold ribbons or money - she just wants to be out there when everyone else is out there."
While an injunction does not mean the case has been won, it does mean that the judge believes the case has enough merit to go forward. Attorneys for McFadden told the court that schools in Iowa, New Jersey, Minnesota and Washington have enlightened policies on this issue.
The injuction allows McFadden " to compete in track events at the same time as her teammates," explains law professor Sam Bagenstos in a Disability Law blog entry. "This order doesn't require the school to have McFadden compete against racers who are on foot -- that really would be comparing incommensurables. It requires the school to let McFadden compete at the same time as others -- and not relegate her, as the school had, to going around the track by herself.
"McFadden wasn't asking for any change in the rules of the sport, for her or anyone else," Bagenstos explains. "She was just asking for the opportunity to run her races while her teammates ran theirs. The order just said the school couldn't shut her out and segregate her. . . "
Read full story Disabled girl wins right to compete.
Frankly, I don't get what disabled people get out of competeing alongside AB's. If the school had its own full disabled team, or even if say it supported the athlete in disabled competitions that were not necessarily interscholastic (lots of "club" sports have schedules like that), then great. When I was in high schoool, I was approached about being part of the basketball team. I declined, saying it was dangerous, and the Florida HSAA rules didn't provide for chairs anyhow. I knew I couldn't get hurt, but to have AB's tripping over me would be bad, and to have them let me take a free shot every so often would be patronizing.
Posted by: Cory | May 23, 2006 11:27 AM
Hey, Cory,
In the article above, Sam B explains:
In other words, the judge's ruling is about preventing discrimination. Now McFadden can go out with her peers, and not have to wait. It'snot about competing together. A wheelchair track star would virtually always outrace runners on foot. And that wouldn't be fair, either.
Posted by: Mary Johnson | May 23, 2006 11:42 AM
Good point, there, and I admit I've done road races in a WC division that was, at times, composed entirely of me.
Posted by: Cory | May 24, 2006 07:59 PM