Published: January 09, 2009 01:14 am      

ROY-HART: State to decide if Harrington twins can play basketball

The saga continues for two Royalton-Hartland students whose wishes to play basketball are now in the hands of the New York State Education Department.

Twin juniors Jenna and Kim Harrington are currently attending high school at Roy-Hart but are not allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities. The issue began when the girls’ father, Kevin Harrington, tried to enroll the girls in November after moving to Gasport. The move was unsuccessful at first, and Harrington appealed to the state. The state education department ruled in favor of the girls attending Roy-Hart at the end of December.

The girls played basketball at Lockport High School, which Harrington believes might be part of the problem.

“They don’t want my girls to play basketball,” Harrington said.

Harrington signed an agreement dated Dec. 12 that said Jenna and Kim could attend Roy-Hart but could not participate in sports or extracurricular activities. But the statement also said if the state commissioner sided with Harrington over the girls being allowed to attend, then the girls would be treated like any other student, including being allowed to participate in extracurricular activities.

Superintendent Paul Bona said the issue is the permanent residency of the girls, and the decision is up to the state education commissioner Richard Mills.

“That’s the issue before the commissioner,” Bona said. “The board is waiting for the decision.”

The Harringtons attended Thursday’s Board of Education meeting, but did not get a chance to speak, as no public forum was allowed during the meeting. There is no law requiring public bodies to allow the general public a chance to speak, although the girl’s mother Bev Harrington was given a chance to speak to the board in executive session.

In other board news, Roy-Hart will be moving its next Board of Education meeting from Jan. 22 to Jan. 29. The district will make its first presentation about the 2009-10 school year budget to the board then, followed by budget workshops at 6 p.m. Feb. 5 and at 5 p.m. Feb. 10.

The move was made so the board could meet with one of its three superintendent candidates at a public forum on Jan. 22. Roy-Hart is looking for a replacement for Bona, who is retiring in June. Each of the candidates will be present at a public forum for community members from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. on Jan. 20, 22 and 23 in the high school media center.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick

at 439-9222, ext. 6241.