Q: I am the girls’ volleyball coach. I would like to encourage my players to pay their volleyball fees with group fundraisers. Can I require all girls to participate? Can I require those who are eligible for fee waivers to participate? —Coach
A: You probably cannot require all athletes to participate. HOWEVER, if you make serving at the homeless shelter or having a car wash (with some fundraising potential) a spirit building or morale boosting activity and part of the volleyball team experience, a requirement for team membership is probably OK.
If students expect to benefit from team fundraising efforts, they can be required to participate. You should be sensitive to individual student situations–some are contributing to their family’s income and some may not have transportation to the school or to an activity. For others, a Saturday activity may interfere with their religion.
What is UPPAC? UPPAC is a committee of nine educators and two community members charged with maintaining and promoting a high standard of professional conduct and ethics among Utah teachers. It is advisory to the Utah State Board of Education in making recommendations regarding educator licensing and may take appropriate disciplinary action regarding educator misconduct.
For more information about UPPAC or to submit your questions to the UPPAC Q&A, contact William Spiegel at william.spiegel@schools.utah.gov or by phone at 801-538-7500.
Read the UPPAC newsletter, “Utah School Law Update,” for more Utah public education legal news and information.
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