Rodney & Roman Moore
ANSONIA — Roman Moore was picked for the team after surviving the tryouts, and was even considered one of the best players on the court for his age. But 11-year-old Roman won’t be playing for the Ansonia Middle School basketball team this year because the school’s principal cut him from the team.
His removal has nothing to do with his skills — he was cut because Roman attends a magnet school in West Haven, and the administrator wanted to open a spot for another Ansonia Middle School student.
Now Roman’s parents are crying foul, and they’ve collected more than 4,000 signatures in an online petition urging the school district to “let Roman play.”
In Connecticut, students and families have the option to apply to magnet schools — schools that take students from all over, and often feature a curriculum that has a specialty, such as focusing on science, technology, or engineering.
Magnet schools and similar schools can be attractive education options for families in under-performing school districts such as in Ansonia and Derby, two economically distressed cities that are considered “alliance districts:” under-performing schools, as defined by the state, that receive extra state money to be used for school improvement efforts.
Not all magnet schools offer sports, but the magnet school students are allowed to play on the teams where they live. In Roman’s case, that’s Ansonia Middle School.
This year Ansonia Middle School finally had the money needed to start its first basketball team in five years. More than 70 students tried out for just 15 spots earlier this month.
Roman’s dad, Rodney Moore, said the team’s coach was aware that Moore attended a magnet school but lived in Ansonia. Parents filled out paperwork with the information, too.
After three days of tryouts, Roman was one of just two sixth graders to make the Ansonia Middle School team.
“The coach pulled Roman into his office to let him know he made the team, and then I received a call from the coach the next day saying they weren’t going to let him play,” Moore said.
While magnet school students are allowed to play on their hometown teams — in Connecticut high school principals have the right to turn students away.
In an email shared with The Valley Independent Sentinel, Ansonia Middle School Principal Peter Colaccino wrote that the coach who put Roman on the team had made a mistake.
“My basketball coach acted in error by never notifying me that a non-Ansonia Middle School student was trying out for the team. It was after the selection that there was a name I did not recognize,” Colaccino wrote. He then noted that many kids had tried out for the team.
“As principal, I do have discretion and approval of whether or not a (non-AMS) student would be able to participate. Given the number of Ansonia Middle School students eligible and able to play, this is not something I am able to approve at this time,” the principal wrote.
Since Roman was cut, his parents have been researching the rules governing youth sports in Connecticut. Moore pointed out Ansonia High School allows student athletes who do not attend the high school to play on teams.
Ansonia Public Schools Superintendent Joseph DiBacco said he stood by the principal’s decision.
“This was our mistake from the start, it should have never gotten to this,” DiBacco told The Valley Indy. “How do you cut your own kids and let an outside kid play? My job is to advocate for the district’s 2,300 students. The principal’s job is to advocate for the students in his building. It’s not that we are against Roman. The school principal has the discretion and the right to make a decision on a player’s acceptance to a team. I respect that the parents are advocating for their child, and I know they aren’t happy with our stance, but I hope they can respect and accept our decision.”
Moore said an email from the superintendent showed a bias toward magnet school students who live in Ansonia.
In the email, DiBacco said he finds it “disheartening when talented students, such as your son, made the choice to attend a magnet school. I am not happy when students choose schools outside of Ansonia, however, school choice is a family decision.”
Moore said Roman worked hard to make the team. The fact he attends a magnet school should not be used to punish him.
“The superintendent has a personal bias about kids who attend magnet schools,” Moore said. “My son shouldnt be penalized for wanting to get a better education.”
Moore also pointed out the district has no written policy on the matter, and state rules offer no guidelines for middle school teams. Moore said the decision to cut Roman because he attends a magnet school is inherently unfair.
The family hopes to appeal the decision to the Ansonia Board of Education at a meeting scheduled for Dec. 14.
“They let him try out, they picked him to be on the team, and there’s no policies to support them denying my son to play,” Moore said. “It’s not about how many kids tried out — all those kids had an opportunity to try out. I’m going to advocate to the end of the earth for my child. He earned his spot on the team.”
