The Cobb County Board of Education voted 4-3 Wednesday not to place a ninth grade baseball option on the Feb. 25 agenda.
Board member Randy Scamihorn offered the proposal to allow each school to decide whether they would like to offer this program, noting the strong interest at Allatoona High School in his district. Voting with him were David Morgan and Brad Wheeler. Opposed were Chair Susan Thayer, Vice-Chair David Chastain, David Banks and Scott Sweeney.
Chastain noted there around 11,000 student athletes in the school district, comprising about 10 percent of the student population. Of those athletes, nearly 90 percent are involved in other sports with baseball ranking eighth. Also last year, a survey of school principals revealed all of them were opposed to offering ninth grade baseball as well as a special committee to review this option at the school board’s direction, said Dr. Grant Rivera, chief leadership and learning officer for the district.
About the Author
