By ROBERT LINNEHAN | The Haddonfield Sun
In a press release issued on Friday, March 12, Matthew S. Wolf, Esq., decried the Haddonfield School District’s decision to kick his Jane Doe client off of the high school lacrosse team. The decision stemmed from her father’s refusal to sign the district’s 24/7 policy permission form as it was presented to him.
Wolf claimed it was in retaliation for the family’s decision to protest the district’s 24/7 policy.
“The latest move by the Haddonfield School District is thinly veiled retaliation against Jane Doe’s family for objecting to the 24/7 policy and an effort at intimidation by the administration of the Haddonfield Memorial High School. It is also a violation of the father’s First Amendment right to expression,” Wolf said. “The school is attempting to control what the father says about a matter of important public policy.”
His Jane Doe client was kicked off the team on March 10.
According to Wolf, Jane Doe’s father signed a permission form for his daughter to play lacrosse and crossed out the section of the form that said students must adhere to the 24/7 policy. It was returned to him and he was told to sign it as it was written, which he did. However, he also included a cover letter to the permission form that read, “I believe the 24/7 policy is illegal and unenforceable but have filled out the form under duress.”
Joseph Betley, Esq., the attorney representing the school district, said it’s an unfortunate situation because the school district wants every student to be able to participate in a sport.
“I had several conversations with the lawyer of the family and we offered a reasonable alternative. We believe that parent was trying to sign the permission form but at the same time not sign it, if that makes sense,” Betley said. “He was attempting to sign it, saying he was doing so under duress. It was my understanding that he was saying the policy couldn’t be held against him or his daughter. He also tried to cross it out initially.”
