[Cabs-talk] FW: Athletic Equity Law

Tue Dec 30 02:26:24 UTC 2008

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From: Jessie Lorenz [mailto:jessie.lorenz at gmail.com] 
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 5:33 AM
To: borptandems at yahoogroups.com; Jessie Lorenz
Subject: Athletic Equity Law

Hello, I am sending this email to you because you were a part of helping to
make my dream of a Paralympic gold medal a reality. Thank you for your
support
on this journey.  I know that you understand the positive role sports can
play in ones life- for I am living proof of this.   

Because I am committed to ensure that the young girl who comes after me has
the same opportunities to participate in sports that I had I  recently
joined
a coalition of advocates spearheading The California Athletic Equity Law.
This is a  piece of state  legislation that would dramatically increase  the
number of opportunities for students with disabilities to participate in
sports.   

To learn more or to get involved you can go to: 

www.titleix2.org   

I have attached some information on the legislation to this message and have
pasted the text of an introductory cover letter below. Please don't hesitate
to contact me should you have any questions or if you'd like to see the
proposed text of the bill. We are courting the legislature and would welcome
suggestions
on individuals who may be willing to take the lead and author the bill in
either the state assembly or the senate.   

Some on this distribution list are not from California- it is still
important to be aware of what we're doing out here- so you can learn from
our mistakes
and our best practices.  

 All students with disabilities deserve the chance to participate in
competitive sport.  

Please join me in spreading the word about this important effort.    

In sport,  

Jessie Lorenz 

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one
can go." 

T. S. Elliot    

(Begin coverletter) 

California Athletics Equity Law for Students with Disabilities   

Dear Friends and Colleagues,  

We are asking you to join us in our efforts to create the California
Athletics Equity Law for Students with Disabilities.  We are a group of
disabled athletes,
parents, coaches, educators and friends.  

Our goal is to create system change by promoting legislation in California
to ensure that youth with disabilities receive the benefits that come from
equal
access to school physical education and athletic programs. This law then
could be used as a national model.  

The benefits of youth participating in school sports programs are well
documented. Grade-point averages, attendance rates, and graduation rates are
higher
for student-athletes, while discipline referrals and dropout rates are
lower.  Participating in sports helps to teach the value of hard work, goal
setting,
communication and teamwork.  Additionally, participating in sports helps to
establish healthy life style habits.   

Unfortunately, the opportunity for students with disabilities to participate
in their schools interscholastic sports programs does not exist in
California.
Presently, a limited number of kids with disabilities get access to sports
through community-based organizations in a few locations in California.
These
organizations offer exciting and challenging athletic opportunities, but
operate outside of the school system and can serve only a fraction of the
disabled
population.    

It is now time to guarantee that all California school children with
disabilities receive the same benefits of school sports programs as their
non-disabled
peers.  This April, the state of Maryland passed the legislation that we are
working on, the first of it's kind in the country.  Similar efforts are
taking
place throughout the country.  Our plan is to build a coalition of support
and in the fall of 2008 identify a California legislator to author our bill
for the 2009 session.   

This historic change will not take place unless those of us in the disabled
sports movement take a leadership role in this effort. We need help with
every
aspect of this effort, from hosting informational get-togethers, recruiting
supporters, contacting legislators, testifying at legislative hearings and
contributing financially to support this effort.  Enclosed you will find a
draft of the legislation, an information page and a sign-up form.    

Together, we can help bring about this historic change.  

Signed,  

table with 3 columns and 15 rows
Rick Spittler,  

Cheri Blauwet,   

Tim Orr,   

Director, Title IX2  

2008 Paralympic Athlete, Medical Student   

USA National Junior Track & Field and Basketball Coach: 1989-2005    

Jessica Lorenz,   

Chris Finn,  

Jon Newman   

2008 Paralymic Gold Medelist   

Head Coach, USA Power Soccer  

US Power Soccer Association, Western Regional Director    

Dr. Barry Lavay,   

Richie Bennett,  

Jen Howitt    

CSU, Long Beach,  

Kinesiology Department   

Coach, BORP Bay Cruisers  

Wheelchair Basketball  

Paralympic Athlete, Rhodes Scholar    

Lisa Hilborn,   

Trooper Johnson,  

Susan Henderson,   

Rancho Wheelchair Sports Director   

Paralympic Athlete, BORP Youth Sports Coordinator  

Executive Director, Disability Education Rights and Defense Fund    

Tersesa Favuzzi,   

Adam Elix,  

Doug Garner,   

Executive Director, California Foundation For Independent Living Centers   

Therapeutic Specialist, City of San Jose  

National Wheelchair Basketball Association, Junior Division Commissioner    

Dmitri Belser,       

President, Ed Roberts Campus                          
table end  
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