2.0 rule looks as if
it will be retained

The Board of Education
votes tomorrow on the
co-curricular standard

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

It appears that the much-debated 2.0 rule for participation in co-curricular activities will survive tomorrow night's Board of Education vote.

Despite a 3-1 Student Services Committee vote to scrap the standard on July 31, the majority of the 13-member board now seems to be leaning toward the status quo.

Possibly the only concession that 2.0 opponents can expect tomorrow is elimination of the GPA standard for participating in team practice sessions.

The board is scheduled to take up the issue after 7 p.m. and public testimony is invited.

Student Services chairman Dr. Mike Compton argued last month that students should be allowed to participate in all activities as long as they maintain the minimum GPA for graduation (.80), make a good-faith effort to function academically and display the traits of good citizenship.

"But my sense of the situation, based upon public reaction, is that I don't think this (Compton's) proposal to just abolish 2.0 can pass," BOE chairwoman Karen Knudsen said.

Compton, who could not be reached last night, said last month that he would consider going along with Winston Sakurai's proposal, which would allow students to practice even if they don't meet the 2.0 standard, if he found insufficient support it. That proposal is favored by many coaches and athletic directors

"There might be a strong argument for the proposal by Winston Sakurai to allow athletes to practice," Knudsen said. "I could be convinced by that. There are principals, teachers and other people out there who see some valid rationale for letting them practice, but not play. At least that gets them involved and perhaps keeps them motivated."

Knudsen said she also is intrigued by the fact that even the Hawaii State Student Council is on record in favor of keeping the 2.0 rule.

Testimony at the July 31 subcommittee meeting was overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the 2.0 rule in place. Although many coaches and athletic directors have long expressed a wish to see the 2.0 rule softened or eliminated, only Roosevelt High athletic director Rodney Iwasaki appeared at the subcommittee meeting to submit testimony. Iwasaki said that the ADs and coaches already have informed the board of their concerns and will support whatever decision is made on the matter.

Sakurai, the second vice-chairman of the board, said that in addition to his practice proposal, he would give freshmen a one-semester waiver on attaining a 2.0 grade-point-average.

At the July 31 meeting, Sakurai favored a full-year waiver for freshmen but he said last night he has compromised on that.

He said the practice proposal is more liberal than the probation exception currently in place. Under probation, a student must have a 1.6 GPA to practice and probation can be granted only twice throughout a high school career. Sakurai proposes eliminating the GPA standard for practice and not limiting how many times a student may exercise this privilege.

Keith Sakata, who voted to scrap the 2.0 in subcommittee, said he is backing off his original hard line for abolishing the 2.0 and now supports a one- or two-year waiver from the rule. Sakata said students under this waiver would have to maintain acceptable behavior and turn in homework.

But he also said he supports Sakurai's practice proposal.

"I really wish I could support Dr. Compton because he believes in the kids, but I'm getting a lot of calls urging me not to even touch the 2.0 rule," Sakata said.

Francis McMillen said he was infuriated with the very suggestion of eliminating the 2.0 rule.

"We don't have many standards for learning and this is one," he said. "It surprises me that people don't say there ought to be a 2.0 GPA for graduation rather than lowering the requirement for co-curricular activities.

"And it bothers me that the big emphasis for doing away with 2.0 comes from the athletic side. Their argument is the kids are all going to join gangs if they can't play. They're trying to develop a guilty conscience on my part, and I'm not accepting that. What I want them to show me is, if they're sincerely interested in helping the kids, how are they going to help them?"

He cited Kahuku's high rate of eligibility. "If Kahuku can do it, why can't everybody else?"

Concluded McMillen, "I'm so sick of people in the education business who so summarily dismiss a standard relative to learning."

Herbert Watanabe said he is concerned that as many as one-third of some student bodies are ineligible for co-curricular activities.

"And in 10 years that we've had the 2.0 rule, there is no evidence of improvement -- and you'd think there would be," he said.

Watanabe said he's inclined to vote for Sakurai's proposal, but he also favors unrestricted participation in school functions such as the May Day court and student government.

"You've got to let kids continue to feel like they're a part of the school community," he said.