The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld the suspension of a former Pleasant Valley High School student from the track team.
During the 2014 state track meet, Kaley White-Ciluffo broke the state record for the 800-meter run, finished second in the 1,500 and helped her distance medley relay team finish in first place first. Those performances led Pleasant Valley to the 4A state championship.
She was later declared ineligible to participate in track because she had run in events outside of school that included college athletes. Her performances at state and the state team title were nullified.
White-Ciluffo appealed the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union and district court decisions on her suspension — saying her constitutional rights were violated.
The Iowa Court of Appeals ruled the opportunity to participate in high school athletic activities is a privilege, not a right or an entitlement and students do not possess a constitutionally protected interest in their participation in extracurricular activities.