Key facts
- Lakeview High School in Michigan has a gym class policy requiring female students to submit a parent's written note detailing the length of their menstrual cycle to make up missed swimming days.
- The policy states that students must complete dry land workouts to make up missed days.
- Parents have voiced concerns that the requirement is invasive and could negatively affect students' grades.
- One parent reported his daughter received a C in gym due to not fulfilling the menstrual cycle disclosure requirement.
- School officials have acknowledged the concern and are arranging a meeting with the parent.
- The policy has prompted questions about potential violations of Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.
A high school in Michigan is facing backlash from parents over a gym class policy that requires female students to disclose details about their menstrual cycles if they miss swimming days. The policy, found in a Lakeview High School gym syllabus, mandates that students provide a written or emailed note from a parent specifying the length of their menstrual cycle in order to make up missed swimming sessions.
The syllabus states that students will not be allowed to simply sit out and must complete dry land workouts to compensate for the missed days. Failure to make up days will result in them being counted as non-participation days, potentially leading to grade reductions.
Parents, including Andy Amsdill, whose daughter attends the school, have expressed shock and called the requirement ridiculous and invasive. Amsdill noted that menstrual cycle length can be unpredictable, and the US National Institutes of Health estimates that 14% to 25% of women experience irregularities, which are even more common in young girls.
Another parent, Bryan Shishakly, shared that his daughter faced a similar requirement in her freshman gym class, which negatively impacted her grade, resulting in a C despite her being an "A" student. He questioned the fairness of a policy that only applies to girls.
Karl D Paulson, superintendent of Lakeview public schools, issued a statement acknowledging the parent's concern and indicated the district is seeking to schedule a meeting to discuss the issue collaboratively. It remains unclear if this policy is implemented across other gym classes or if it will be removed following the criticism. The controversy has also raised questions about whether the policy violates Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funding.