PENNSYLVANIA Upper St. Clair bans parent coaches

The school board wants to "generate fairness."
UPPER ST. CLAIR, Pa. (AP) -- The Upper St. Clair school board voted to ban parents from coaching school teams if the parent has a child on the team.
The school board, which approved the policy by a 4-3 vote Wednesday, said it wasn't aimed at anyone in particular.
There are no well-publicized disputes involving parents coaching their children in the district; the board's intent was just to "generate fairness," said school director Jeff Joyce, who voted in favor of it.
But the new rule also has a number of loopholes and critics wonder if it's even necessary. For example, one exception to the policy says a parent can coach their child's team if the parent is the "only" or "most qualified" candidate.
Parents who work for the affluent school district south of Pittsburgh in some other capacity are exempt from the rule, as are distinguished former athletes.
Bad message
Softball coach Jim Whalen said the policy sends a bad message to parents.
"They basically said you're not welcome," Whalen said.
Upper St. Clair has 23 varsity sports. Its coaches are not required to live in the district or otherwise work there as teachers or in any other capacity.
The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) requires only that coaches undergo a background check and have no record of child abuse or sex crimes.
Athletic directors at nearby districts say the rule seems unnecessary because parent coaches are usually tougher on their own children anyway.
Although most districts don't have a written policy banning parent coaches, most try to avoid it as a matter of practice, said Keystone Oaks Athletic Director Joseph Perry.
"As a general rule, you don't try to hire coaches who are parents of students," Perry said.