Oxford bucks trend, ends fees

$58,000 is refunded, thanks to superintendent who believes playing field is as vital as classroom.

Fred Girard / The Detroit News

"I have given up stuff for me so that my kids can play sports," says Jill Stumph of Oxford -- not complaining but stating a fact of life common to thousands of southeast Michigan families.

"Just in the past month I've paid close to $1,000 just for my kids' sporting stuff," she said. "It's just overwhelming."

That's why Jill and her husband, Delbert, described themselves as "ecstatic" to learn that $300 was coming back.

The money represents $150 in fees the Stumphs paid for each of their sons to play sports this year at Oxford High School -- the pay-to-play that is soaking the families of thousands of athletes this school year.

No one knows how many kids end up not being able to play sports, their families unable to come up with the money.

On Sept. 11 the Oxford school board voted to end pay-to-play, and refund $58,000 in fees already paid, including the Stumphs' $300.

The board earlier passed a tight budget based on zero enrollment growth, said the man who spearheaded the effort, Superintendent Bill Skilling. But when school began, there were 97 new students.

"We would not be good stewards to hang on to this money, when we've had parents who've had to stretch themselves so their children could play athletics," Skilling said. "That's morally wrong."

Athletics, arts important

A former high school principal, Skilling said he believes athletics and the arts are integral components of a well-rounded education.

"There are certain things you only learn on the playing field that you're not going to get in a traditional classroom," he said. "Likewise there are certain things you learn in a performance, a musical or a play, that you can't replicate on the playing field or in a traditional classroom. I don't like to see any economic barriers put before children and their parents that would keep them out of participating in all three arenas of education."

According to Skilling, districts are short-sighted to impose fees because of tough economic times.

"The common wisdom in public education is, when you're going through difficult times we contract, we reduce, we cut programs. And who does that impact? Our children. That's really bad thinking. When a business is losing business, do they cut their marketing or expand it? They expand it," Skilling said.

"Likewise, in education we should be doing something similar. If we're losing students, and we're losing parents because of these bad economic times then what would cause them to want to come back? Expanding opportunity. Making your education something more than what somebody else is offering.

"So while others are retreating, it's the time to expand and create new opportunities."

Skilling made the same move in his first superintendent's job, in the Webberville district in Ingham County four years ago, and promptly saw participation rates rise. Thanks to that and other new opportunities, the district changed from one with the greatest loss of students for 11 straight years to one of the county's fastest growing.

Sports teach 'life lessons'

Bill Keenist, another Oxford parent, who says he has a passion for the educational value of high school athletics, applauded Skilling's move.

"The lessons learned through high school athletics are life lessons," Keenist said, that never should be withheld from any student merely on the basis of money.

As senior vice president for communications for the Detroit Lions, in addition to being a dad to two athlete sons, Keenist has attended thousands of sporting events, but has no question about which memory he treasures most.

It was a high school swim meet; a long-distance event in which one particular girl was hopelessly outclassed. With her opponents out of the pool drying off and congratulating each other, she doggedly kept swimming, lap after lap. Soon a handful of people rose, then more, until the whole crowd, many with tears in their eyes, stood and applauded and shouted the girl on.

"She never quit," Keenist said. "I thought it was spectacular. That epitomizes the opportunity that high school athletics give young men and women. That girl and everyone who was there learned the lesson of a lifetime that day.

"Kids need opportunities, and to deny them because of financial issues would be tragic."

You can reach Fred Girard at (313) 222-2165 or fred.girard@detnews.com