A high school gym class syllabus is drawing scrutiny from parents and an attorney after a requirement asks female students to share personal health information in order to make up missed swimming days.
Andy Amsdill, the father of a student at the school in the Detroit metro area, says he was stunned after reading his daughter's class syllabus. He immediately reached out to school leaders, questioning why students are being asked to disclose something so personal.
"This is their private information. That teacher, nor anybody in the school administration, has any right to it," Amsdill said.
Under a section titled "Non-Swim Days for Pool Only," the syllabus addresses female students who miss swimming because of their menstrual cycle. It states a parent must provide a written note or email stating the length of their cycle in order for those missed days to be made up.
"The teacher wants us to either send a note or an email with the suspected length of the cycle, which by itself is ridiculous," Amsdill added.
The syllabus also states that if a student does not participate in dry land gym activities, or for each day not made up, it will be considered a non-participation day resulting in a loss of points.
Amsdill contacted school leaders questioning why that level of personal information is necessary to excuse or make up a swimming day. He says the response fell short of a district-wide fix.
"The best they got for me was that my daughter wouldn't have to do it, but they weren't doing it systematically," Amsdill said.
Amsdill believes the requirement raises Title IX concerns, arguing female students like his daughter are being singled out because of their menstrual cycle.
Attorney Jon Marko said the syllabus language is legally problematic.
Marko said the requirement could run afoul of federal and state law.
"It could be violative of both federal and our state anti-discrimination laws, which is called the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex," Marko said.
Other parents with students who attend the high school also weighed in on the syllabus requirement.
"To have to disclose that information is really invasive and I think it's unnecessary," Elizabeth Gibson said.
Amy Droelle, another parent, echoed those concerns.
"For sure against privacy for the young ladies that are going to class and they shouldn't have a grade reduction," Droelle said.
The Lakeview School District Superintendent Karl Paulson provided the Scripps News Group in Detroit with this statement:
"We recently became aware of a parent’s concern relative to certain class expectations. Given our commitment to partnering with parents to address any issue that might arise, we immediately sought to schedule a meeting with the parent to engage in a conversation about the concern. We look forward to meeting with the parent in the coming days and working collaboratively with that objective. The Lakeview School District remains fully committed to educational excellence and best practices in all it does."
Amsdill says he plans to make his voice heard at Tuesday night's school board meeting and encourages other parents to do the same.
Watch extended interview in the video below
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This story was originally published by Peter Maxwell with the Scripps News Group in Detroit.
