`No pass, no play' school bill voted

SPRINGFIELD An Illinois Senate judiciary committee yesterdaynarrowly endorsed "no pass, no play" legislation for high schoolstudents.

The panel's 8-to-6 vote came after its sponsor, Sen. William A.Marovitz (D-Chicago), revised the measure to include in its scopeother extracurricular activities as well as athletics.

Under its terms, students who are failing a required course at theend of a grading period could not compete in sports or take part ininter-school activities for four weeks. During the suspension,students could continue to practice.

The measure was opposed by David Fry, associate executivesecretary for the Illinois High School Association, which governsscholastic eligibility for student athletes.

The Marovitz proposal contained "the seeds of many good ideas,"but "takes away the motivational factor of scholastic eligibilitystandards," Fry said.