The Gasconade County R-2 Board of Education on Aug. 21 reverted back to its former Missouri School Board Association (MSBA) policy with a 4-0 vote to disallow virtual students from participating in extracurricular activities.

According to Superintendent Dr. Jeri Kay Hardy the board changed the policy in April to allow virtual students to participate in extracurricular activities at MSBA’s suggestion. At the time, MSBA mistakenly believed a bill had passed that would prevent school districts from excluding virtual learning students from extracurricular activities.

“MSBA policy IGCB would allow students in virtual courses the ability to participate in extracurricular activities,” Hardy told the board.

The policy was changed on April 17, but once MSBA learned of its mistake and that the bill had not passed, it notified its member boards.

“The bill did not pass,” Hardy said. “So, we are reverting back to where if we had a virtual student they do not participate in extracurricular activities because if we have a virtual student, they are not subject to the same disciplinary policies as students who attend in seat.”

Policy IGBC reads, “Students enrolled in virtual courses offered through the district or through MOCAP under this policy are not eligible to participate in extracurricular activities.”

Had the changes been accepted and kept, the policy would have read that “Students enrolled in virtual courses offered through the district or through MOCAP under this policy are considered district students and are eligible to participate in extracurricular activities unless restricted by the Missouri State.”

Recent discussions regarding public school sports among parents of home or private school students has led to more questions. Hardy can give a better explanation of that process according to school policy.

“Students enrolled in virtual courses are not eligible to participate in extracurricular activities,” she said. “We do not allow home schooled students to participate in sports.”

However, the district has policies that, if followed, home schooled and private school students could play a limited selection of sports in the district.

“There is a process and they would have to take at least two credit hour courses with us each day for the full semester,” Hardy said of one of the requirements.

For more information about district policies, contact Hardy at 573-646-1015 at the Admin Building.