10-3-2008 California:
PCC has received much scrutiny since the Courier first reported that former PCC football player Darryl Stephens was arrested on a charge of assault on Sept. 2.
Subsequently, coach Kenny Lawler was put on administrative leave, and is now under investigation, bringing the issue of accountability to light.
Stephens' history as a registered sex offender, who is accused of violating his parole, raised an inevitable question: Why was he allowed to play as a Lancer?
The question turns on whether any registered sex offender should be allowed the same privileges as students without a criminal record.
We believe the answer can be found in something coach Lawler said in an interview:
"[Stephens] was a student athlete trying to rebuild and rehabilitate his life, and football was a part of that," he said.
Such a depiction could easily fit many people who attend community college - simply tag a different career to the end.
In that light, anyone who looks to readapt into society through his or her education, even registered sex offenders, deserves support.
Even more so when they have served a sentence and thus paid their debt to society, like Stephens.
What purpose does a community college serve if not for someone to restructure their life?
Under our current correctional system, people like Stephens are marked for life under Meagan's Law, severely limiting their choice in career.
Why continually punish someone who is seemingly getting his or her life together?
In a prepared statement by PCC officials, they stated that, "[PCC] does not condone the recruitment of players who have a record of sexual offenses."
If that were true, why did it take Stephens' arrest, numerous phone calls and stringent media coverage for the campus to take a stance?
ABC 7 News had a broadcast report - albeit the Courier was not properly sourced - from PCC featuring students' response when told there was a registered sex offender on campus - the typical one being shock and horror.
Such reactionary and emotional responses are what we would expect from someone who does not know all the facts.
Before that fateful day, Stephens was like any other student (except for the GPS ankle bracelet) who was given a chance to play football; who is to say he will not go on to have a successful career?
Trust the system and let students (sex offender or not) enter our facilities and make a life for him or her self. ..News Source.. by Pasadena City College News
October 3, 2008
CA- EDITORIAL: Reformed Sex Offenders Deserve Equal Opportunity
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2 comments:
In a prepared statement by PCC officials, they stated that, "[PCC] does not condone the recruitment of players who have a record of sexual offenses."
Then why did PCC allow this football player to be a student and take classes at the college also??? Why is no one investigating the students enrolement? If PCC do NOT "does not condone the recruitment of players who have a record of sexual offenses" per PCC than why allow him to take classes??? Do your homework people!!!!!! This does not make any sense.
In brief, Section 67362, which was added to the California Education Code in 2006, prevents college athletes who have been convicted of a violent felony from playing college team sports until after they complete their terms of incarceration and any supervised period of parole or probation. NOTE: It does not prevent in any way their participation in educational opportunities and co-curricular events available to all eligible students.
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