Listen to Ross and Burbank weekdays on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM
 Ross+Burbank


Most popular
Help us build a Fisher House
Bonneville Seattle is raising funds for the construction of a second Fisher House at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma and we need your help.

Is the hockey field level?

May 15, 2012 @ 8:26 am (Updated: 12:50 pm - 5/15/12 )

cedargrove
14-year-old Keeling Pilaro is a pretty good field hockey player at his Long Island High School. The problem is that Field Hockey is a girls' sport, and Keeling -- is a boy.(AP Photo/Andrew Pilaro)

14-year-old Keeling Pilaro is a pretty good field hockey player at his Long Island High School. The problem is that Field Hockey is a girls' sport, and Keeling -- is a boy.

"I just love playing because it's just so much fun," said Pilaro.

It was a boys game in Ireland where he grew up -- but his school on Long Island was happy to let him join the girls, as long as he wore the same uniform. So he wears a skirt. No problem.

"My friends will make jokes about it, but they're not mean jokes. They're like sarcastic funny jokes, like I laugh along, as long as I'm playing," said Pilaro.

So everybody was fine with it -- but then, according to the high school athletic association, he got too good. And in March he was told he would not be invited back next year. He couldn't believe it.

And his parents wouldn't stand for it.

"I feel like Title IX should be supporting my son," said Pilaro's mom.

Title IX, which states no person can be excluded from participating in any publicly funded educational activity on the basis of sex.

Civil rights lawyer -- Cynthia Augello isn't so sure it applies in his case.

"While he's out there playing, some female is on the bench that wouldn't have been on the bench otherwise."

But it won't be going to court, because today the athletic association has granted Pilaro appeal so he will be back on the field next year.

Good news especially when you consider the real story here. The real story is not that a boy is playing field hockey. The real story is that a boy is playing field hockey in a skirt, and isn't being bullied. When a school achieves a breakthrough like that, why would you mess with it?

More Ross and Burbank

MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (37)


  • Add A Comment

  • ron prevost wrote...
    Ah, yes, Dave. Evolution wins again.
    May 15, 2012 7:54 am
    Boy plays girl's game (just why? and why is soft ball a 'girls game' unless you're over 50 ?)in a skirt. That kid is probably so sure of himself that it doesn't matter (or he calls the skirt a kilt). ..................... So, just WHY does our politically correct world have a problem ?? If you found a good girl athlete, Cynthia Augello and all other liberal lawyers would have no problem with benching a boy who otherwise would play. ........ Consistency, Dave. I'm sure you still remember 'equal treatment under the law.' ?? ....................... This is all too much like that snafu last summer when a few members of a 'gay' baseball team weren't 'gay enough' for their league. Private league - stupid, but OK. .. But, I'm betting Long Island High School is public. Title IX applies both ways. Let the kid play. .................... But It's a kilt, Dave, not a skirt.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Ron, the only thing consistent about liberals...
    May 15, 2012 11:52 am
    is their inconsistency, dependent on whether or not if fits their agenda.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Hate post #1
    May 15, 2012 1:05 pm
    from the right wing.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Derrol_o wrote...
    "Hate post #1"
    May 15, 2012 3:42 pm
    No big surprise there.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    Hate post #1
    May 15, 2012 9:25 pm
    you're right...ron prevost...why do you hate liberal hypocrisy? Liberals love their hypocrisy, why the hate man?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • The Chuckster wrote...
    Ron
    May 15, 2012 8:10 am
    Equal means girls get to play and boys don't . That's equality. You should be proud of the skirt wearing boy, that's what's important in a election year . It fits along with our messiah becoming the first gay president. Obama would have been our first black president but that was Clinton. This, b00bgate, gay marriage, these are the important issues. The economy, people being underwater on there homes, bad unemployment numbers and 16 trillion in debt are not issues. The real issues are whether Chuck and Willie can have Obamas blessing when they tie the knot, a boy wears a skirt and a obnoxious boy breast feeding at 27. I am off to watch the video of the Mariner game I was at where Griffey pitched a perfect game and Chris Bosio and John Halama went back to back. I was sitting next to Dave. He had tears running down his face.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    I haven't the slightest idea which walls you're bouncing off, 'Chuckster',
    May 15, 2012 8:33 am
    but it's funnier than my back joke to Dave. ..... But what's Oz to do when he realizes that there's not a lot of breast feeding in gay marriage ? - At least for Chuck and Willie ?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Hate post #2
    May 15, 2012 1:05 pm
    from the right wing
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Derrol_o wrote...
    "Hate post #2"
    May 15, 2012 3:43 pm
    No surprise there.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Newton wrote...
    Girl playing Baseball on a boys team. Last week
    May 15, 2012 9:34 am
    Isn't it just as fair for her as it is for him. Or do women/girls have more rights over men/boys. If he wants to play who cares.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    Why is this a surprise
    May 15, 2012 10:04 am
    I've seen girls play on boys hockey teams, wrestling, baseball....so cut the kid some slack.........read the complete story and you will find he is much younger the the high school girls he plays against.............Ron, give them time and I'm sure the will figure out a way for Chuck and Willie to lactate so as to give them the total experiance.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    LOL
    May 15, 2012 12:21 pm
    LOL
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Hate post #4
    May 15, 2012 1:07 pm
    from the right wing
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • deltta wrote...
    Hey chuck
    May 15, 2012 3:00 pm
    Never seen you so lost for words..... gasbag
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    CH - what happened to Hate post #3 ?
    May 15, 2012 3:08 pm
    And you'd think a guy playing the pipes would be more in tune with a poor Irish lad wearing a kilt.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    I MEANT CG
    May 15, 2012 3:11 pm
    your posts today are so short, you've got me confused.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    CH - what happened to Hate post #3 ?
    May 15, 2012 9:28 pm
    He's a liberal....you didn't really believe he was capable of counting to 3 did you? And in CH's defense, he was chewing gum while typing.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Derrol_o wrote...
    "Hate post #4"
    May 15, 2012 3:47 pm
    from the right wing, even if it's a bulls-eye reality check and on target because, well, it's from the right wing.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    "Title IX, which states no person can be excluded from participating in any publicly funded educational activity on the basis of sex."
    May 15, 2012 10:12 am
    how can he NOT have a case? the law doesn't say: ONLY FOR THE GIRLS THOUGH. this should be a slam dunk. IF there's no boys' team, they need to create one or offer something equal to it for the boys. that's the way Title IX was written, as far as i can remember. unless, again, that it was only meant for the women, in which case it seems as if it might be unconstitutional.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Snout wrote...
    When did common sense die?
    May 15, 2012 11:11 am
    Life has rules and there are too many Mommy and Daddy's little princes/princesses out there. Face it, your kid isn't special and neither are you. Shut up and play nice with the rest of us.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    snout...
    May 15, 2012 12:15 pm
    what are you talking about? was that about the article, or were you just randomly attacking again without actually commenting on the subject.

    i'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you were commenting on the boy in this being a "little prince" who thinks he's special. he doesn't claim to be. he played the game in Ireland and wanted to play in the US. that's not him thinking he's special, it's him wanting to play a game and being told he can't because he's not a girl. that goes against title ix, period. Ireland offers the game to boys, why can't the US?

    so, before you go telling people to shut up and play nice... take your own advice and think before you respond to article... or, at least read them so you have all the knowledge you need to back up what you say.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Gate Keeper wrote...
    simply more evidence
    May 15, 2012 12:23 pm
    Seems hardly a day goes by that there is not another shining example brought forth of the "evolving" mental disorder known as Liberalism.His parents probably trained him to sit down to pee as well.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    another shining example...
    May 16, 2012 6:26 am
    of a hateful person on the right who probably didn't read the article to find out that the kid is IRISH and played the game when he lived in IRELAND.

    gosh, there are some REALLY ignorant (and, let's be honest, not too bright) people trolling in the forums of this site!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Back to HPD5-0: You may find liberals inconsistent....
    May 15, 2012 1:08 pm
    but this thread certainly demonstrates a conservative consistency, doesn't it?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mike_D34 wrote...
    Terrific....
    May 15, 2012 2:18 pm
    Another broke d!*k kid. he'll fit in nicely with the 99%...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    mike...
    May 16, 2012 6:31 am
    what does that even mean?

    he's from IRELAND. seriously!!?? did ANY of you extra hate-filled conservatives even READ the article!?

    that kid is more of a man than ANY of you fools. he doesn't care if he wears a skirt SINCE IT'S BASCIALLY LIKE A KILT TO HIM!

    you guys are REALLY starting to embarrass yourselves with how dumb your comments are getting. sad.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • The Chuckster wrote...
    Yeah, hate posts!!!!!
    May 15, 2012 3:00 pm
    You "republitards" you "cowards " you "liars" you "idiots" I am going to report you if you upset my centrist hero Chuck and his husband Willie. They judge, you bow down. All hail the messiah Obama, all hail the girth of the centrist Ross Blog god Chuck!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • deltta wrote...
    You go you "Chuckster"!
    May 15, 2012 3:03 pm
    Let it all out........
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }