Smith Loses Appeal
The Washington Post, Thursday, September 4, 2003

Quentin Smith, one of Montgomery’s County’s top football players the past two years for Richard Montgomery, lost his appeal to play a fourth year while attending his fifth year of school. 

Nancy S. Grasmick, Maryland’s state superintendent of schools, rejected Smith’s appeal to play while completing two credits needed for graduation. Smith had contended that he had one year of eligibility remaining since he did not play sports until 2000-01, when he was repeating his freshman year. 

Smith also argued that under the Americans with Disability Act, the school system is required to grant the athlete an extra year of eligibility as a “reasonable accommodation” for his learning disability. 

“A review of pertinent records fails to show any distinction between Quentin Smith and his nondisabled peers,” Grasmick wrote in a letter sent to Smith’s attorney, Steven VanGrack. “Quentin was given the same opportunity to participate in football for three full seasons in grades 10-12, the same as his nondisabled peers.”

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