I moved my daughter from Rockmart High School to Cedartown High School (where I moved her from her grandmother’s house in Rockmart to live with me in Cedartown) due to all the stress that was being caused on her as well as myself. I’m not suppose to be under any stress if I can avoid it due to my aneurysm. I would not not have just moved my child if it wasn’t necessary because she had been playing with those girls; however, it had just gotten to be too much stress.

On Thursday evening of January 16, 2020, is when I made the decision to remove my child and myself from all the drama and mistreatment at Rockmart High School. Before I could even get my daughter enrolled into Cedartown High School, the administrators had already contacted the principal (that Thursday evening) and fed him some lies about my daughter and he went off what they told him. So that Friday morning (January 17, 2020), I’m doing the paperwork to enroll my daughter and the principal comes over and says, “I’m Mr. Hendrix the principal and I need to see your lease and information”. I give it to him and he say (out the blue) “she will not be able to play basketball because this will not approved through GHSA” and I look at my daughter and her face expression has changed at this point; therefore, I say to myself okay something is not right. So I tell Mr. Hendrix, “okay I do not see why not but okay”. He walks out the office and that is when I find out that he had received some information about my daughter the night before, which was the same day I withdrew her. So we leave the school with the enrollment paperwork to figure things out because I seen what was going on, the devil is prowling. So we went and made some other living arrangements (which was still in Cedartown) since he said those would not get approved. We get back to Cedartown High School Friday afternoon with the completed enrollment paperwork and she got enrolled. 

On Tuesday , January 21, 2020, is when we started the process with GHSA. I had looked at GHSA by-laws and had several others read the by-laws. Section 1.62 (a.) The student moved simultaneously with the entire parental unit or persons he/she resided with at the former school, and the student and parent(s) or persons residing with the student live in the service area of the new school. This is known as a “bona fide move.” 
Section 1.62 (a. 2) It must be apparent that the parent(s) or the persons residing with the student and the student have relinquished the residence in the former service area and have occupied a residence in the new service area. 
All those apply to use because she did move and do not reside in that address in Rockmart any longer. She now lives in Cedartown. 

Also, she follows under the McKinnley-Vento Act (because she stayed with her grandmother, due to my illness/hardship, and I didn’t live with her) which states: McKinney-Vento Act’s Definition of “Homeless” for Children and Youth
The McKinney-Vento Act’s definition of “homeless” for children and youth reflects the reality of family homelessness today.
The definition specifically includes children living in emergency shelters, motels, hotels, trailer parks, cars, parks, public spaces, or abandoned buildings, and those sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.
According to the McKinney-Vento Act, the term “homeless children and youths” refers to individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes the following four categories:
1. Children and youth who:
a. share the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason;
b. are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations;
c. are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or
d. are abandoned in hospitals.

On Tuesday, March 10, 2020, we went to GHSA for an appeal hearing because they had denied her at first (January) so we appealed it. On March 10, 2020, (that evening) I got a phone call from Cedartown High School telling me that she had been denied to play without a reason. Something was not sitting right in my spirit so I called GHSA to get a copy of the appeal or a reason and they told me to contact the school because they sent it out; however, the school told me that they got a call without a reason or anything. 

I feel that a child should not be punished if they did not do anything wrong. The system is failing our children off of what an adult (that is trying to hold them back) has to say instead of literally going by the by-laws that has been put in place for our children. The system is allowing an adult to hurt a child because a mother did what was best for the child and the mother’s well-being. They suppose to care and help our children with their future but they are destroying them if they do something to better themselves and the teacher/coach does not like the decision. 

My child has been drained mentally and physically. She has really let this take her down and it is not right at all. She has been to the doctor due to anxiety attacks due to this. Her grades has fallen due to this. She has been angry because of this. She want to give up because of this. She did not understand how an adult can do this to her and GHSA allow it to be done. 

They do not understand what this does to a child(ren) that really wants to play a sport and then get ridiculed for doing what is best for them and they have not done anything wrong. GHSA can change this and take a stand for our children; however, in my case they did the opposite. I refuse to sit back and let my child and any other child/children go through this that face this issue after my child. I am taking a stand and I am praying that you all will join in with me and make this happen. It is not right at all and I know it! A child suppose to be allowed to play within those by-laws and that is why the McKinnley-Vento Act was put into place. 
One more thing, I feel that the Athletic Director from the past high school has had an effect on GHSA decisions because he is on the Executive Committee Board of GHSA and I feel like they listen to what they said and just went with what they said; however, is a conflict of interest. I also asked to see the stuff that was sent in to GHSA and was told that I could not, which did not seem right.