[RunItUpTheGut]

Let me answer this the best i can per the KHSAA.

First off, you need to remember that if a kid turns 19 years old before Aug. 1st of his senior year, he will be ineligible for that year, thus making his junior year the last year of eligibility for him. So only three years of high school ball.

Secondly, as long as the student isnt in high school, then you have nothing to worry about eligibility wise, meaning, you can hold middle school kids back (7th and 8th grade) but once your in high school, you only get FOUR years of eligibility meaning that if you child fails a grade in high school, or you try to hold him back in high school, it wont work. He will still only have 4 years of eligibility no matter what.

As for asking about holdbacks, personally i believe as long as the kid is young for his grade, or will meet the eligibility requirements for high school i see nothing wrong with it.
Contrary to what some believe, i have never seen anything negative happen maturity or educational wise from a kid thats been held back. Even if his studies are excellent, its noone business why your holding them back (even if he had straight A's and you only want to do it because of sports) and you have the right not to explain that.

However, i deeply encourage you to talk with you child and see what he thinks. Afterall it is his life. Try to see what hes thinking and talk to him instead of rushing into decisions without his approval.

Personally, I wish i would have been held back a year. My grades were fine. But i also turned 18 only a couple of months before i graduated and would have been eligible to play sports had i been held back in middle school. It would have helped me greatly in becoming much more mature and physically fit leaving high school, especially when i was on my way to playing college football. Long story short i blew out my knee my senior year and didnt go anyways, but trust me when i say the kid can only benefit, AS LONG as hes fine with it as well.

[RunItUpTheGut]

The school says they will not retain my 8th grade student. They have a board policy that will not allow this to happen. Can I remove him at this point in the year and put him in the 7th grade at another school? Would another school do this? What other options do I have?

School policies are there own.
Unless you are willing to move the kid to another school that will allow it (and A LOT will) than id just go by there rules. I know not everyone has the money or options to move or transfer there kids.

[RunItUpTheGut]

After looking threw over two pages on this thread, im seriously laughing at all of you crying foul on holdbacks, and calling holdbacks cheaters.

Until the day the KHSAA says you cannot hold a kid back, its legal. Get over it.

[Southeast Bluegrass]

After looking threw over two pages on this thread, im seriously laughing at all of you crying foul on holdbacks, and calling holdbacks cheaters.

Until the day the KHSAA says you cannot hold a kid back, its legal. Get over it.

:Thumbs: Amen Brother. Crybabies:Shaking:

[foriegn flatlander]

I think this issue boils down to 1 issue (for the most part) on those who promote holdbacks and those who are anti-holdback. I am sure many kids are being held back for purely admirable reasons in fact maybe most. The issue seems to be the advantage in sports. (I have yet to hear a parent complain that a holdback was dominating the science club) The parents who have kids not being held back feel their kids are at a athletic disadvantage because of the holdbacks age, maturity, and size whereas the holdbacks parents see nothing wrong with this since it is perfectly legal. My kid is not a holdback but is also a starter and a very good athlete on his team, but, I would be lying if I did not worry about a holdback taking his place. However holdbacks are legal and I simply tell my son play hard or go home. As long as it is permissable leave it too each parent to decide what is best for their family.

[BADCAT74]

Actually it is not the parents' decision. It's the principal's decision. If the principal thinks a kid did well enough in the 8th grade and is ready for the 9th grade, the kid will be promoted regardless of what the parents think. That is the law in Kentucky. Unfortunately, there are some administrators in some school districts that ignore the law and do whatever the parents request.

Which is why undercoverwildcat said in his/her last post that the kid will not be retained. Kudos to that school district for following the law.

But what really bothers me, of all the posts made, is the post by BADCAT74saying that varsity coaches approached him about holding his son back. It would be one thing if teachers or the guidance counselor approached me about holding my son back; but coaches? I'd be inclined to wonder if their interest was just for athletic reasons (and perhaps for the coaches' own best interests instead of perhaps my child's). Maybe the varsity coaches in that case are also his teachers and based their advise on their observations as his teachers. If so, it doesn't bother me. But I'd guess, if I had to guess, if



that was the case, BADCAT74 would have said his child's teachers approached him.

My thoughts on the subject: if I had a child that was very young for his/he class and the child was struggling in the class room or was having real and legitimate emotional problems, then I'd sit down with the guidance counselor, teachers, principal and physician and get their input. I would never, repeat never, do it for athletic reasons. Furthermore, I can't see me holding a child back that would make him/her old for their class.

I had several kids in my class at high school that were retained (adults called it retained; kids call it flunked). They didn't lose the "flunked" stigma throughout their high school years. Admittedly, we didn't have many kids retained, so when it happened it was unusual. If it happens frequently in a school, perhaps it wouldn't carry the stigma. Of course, if it happened frequently, one might wonder what was going on in that school district.

The reason we even considered it, is my son will graduate at 17. An the coaches I talked to knew how much younger he was than all his classmates. An i had been considering it for sometime those same coaches an my self had a JFL team for few years, that are sons were on an we had the same conversation when our boys were in 3rd grade there were 4 of us an 3 of them held them back in 3rd grade but my wife an i chose to let him move on. His grades are A's an b's an excels in the classroom an on the field an court. he's bigger than most kids in his class an got selected for the national leadership counsel in Ohio this spring. My point is he's not lacking in grades, size,confidence an is a leader in his class. We gave it some more thought through football an basketball season an just didn't see the benefit for him so he's moving on to 9th grade. But I've got to say what NEW O said kinda hit home with me, i thought about having him around for one more year. but he is ready mentally an physically an i think that's what matters most!

[BADCAT74]

^Btw at Verity the principal has the say with holding back a child. not the parent unless there are issues. Also if they are held they are not eligible for any sports within the holdback year. That's how Verity does it not saying its that way allover....

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
Im sure no coach at charlie22's school has ever approached someone about holding there child back :zzz:

[BoondockSaint]

This was the first question that came to mind for me too. What do his teachers and principal think about this? Is he behind in his academic development?

Its a parental choice and while an educators input would definitely be worthwhile, the decision should be solely up to the parents of the child.

[BoondockSaint]

I really thought about joining this spirited debate, but I'll refrain & leave it at this.

I'm holding my son back, he'll graduate at 19, its not for sports, its because I know how much slower boys mature than girls. He may hate me for doing it, but I'm a grown up & I know whats best for him...he doesn't. I get to know he'll lay down under my roof for at least one more year of his life, and if he benfits from staying back in sports so be it.

And I really don't give a DAMN what anybody thinks about MY decision.

[Micro-Brew]

^ Totally agree. It's a parents choice. When and if I have children I would either consider starting them at the latest moment or keeping them back at some point.

[charlie22]

^
Im sure no coach at charlie22's school has ever approached someone about holding there child back :zzz:

They may have, but I'm not aware of it happening. My older son was young for his class but no football coach ever approached us about holding him back.

[charlie22]

The reason we even considered it, is my son will graduate at 17. An the coaches I talked to knew how much younger he was than all his classmates. An i had been considering it for sometime those same coaches an my self had a JFL team for few years, that are sons were on an we had the same conversation when our boys were in 3rd grade there were 4 of us an 3 of them held them back in 3rd grade but my wife an i chose to let him move on. His grades are A's an b's an excels in the classroom an on the field an court. he's bigger than most kids in his class an got selected for the national leadership counsel in Ohio this spring. My point is he's not lacking in grades, size,confidence an is a leader in his class. We gave it some more thought through football an basketball season an just didn't see the benefit for him so he's moving on to 9th grade. But I've got to say what NEW O said kinda hit home with me, i thought about having him around for one more year. but he is ready mentally an physically an i think that's what matters most!

Fair enough. I just think it's a bit odd that football coaches would be suggesting a hold back for reasons other than sports. If you say that isn't the case in this situation, I believe you.

Again, as I mentioned earlier, if a kid is young for his/her age and is not doing well socially, mentally and/or academically, I've got no problem with a kid being held back. I think holding a kid back for athletics is wrong and is indicative of parents wanting to relive past or missed glory from their high school days. As we all know, we have way too many overbearing parents pushing their kids to be the next Manning, the next Jordan and the next Votto. Let the kids have fun playing high school sports and check the parental pressure and ridiculous expectations at the stadium gate and gymnasium door. Others can have a differing opinion and I'm fine with that.

[charlie22]

Its a parental choice and while an educators input would definitely be worthwhile, the decision should be solely up to the parents of the child.

Perhaps it should be, but unless something has recently changed with the Ky law dealing with holdbacks, it's the principal that has the final say; not the parents.

[BoondockSaint]

Perhaps it should be, but unless something has recently changed with the Ky law dealing with holdbacks, it's the principal that has the final say; not the parents.

Then he/she wouldn't be my child's principal.

[BADCAT74]

Perhaps it should be, but unless something has recently changed with the Ky law dealing with holdbacks, it's the principal that has the final say; not the parents.

Actually i don't think that's a state wide policy? I know fairview has parental right to holdbacks. An Boyd co. just adapted it this year. Only reason i know this year is i have a friend that went through the holdbacks thing at Bc an ended up transferring to fairview for brief period then back to Bc because at the time Bc didnt allow it but now they do.
To each his own I guess....

[footballfever]

The holdback policy is established by the school board. Some schools allow, some allow up to 7th grade, some to 6th grade. Parents should just be aware of the policy at their school.
Also it is important to know a holdback CANNOT participate in high school athletics. If you have a student repeating any grade then they could not move up and even play on the freshman team. If a 5th grader is playing on the HS tennis team and repeats 5th grade they then could not play on the team the holdback year.