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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 60
BY SENATOR CLAITOR
AMUSEMENTS/SPORTS. Commends Clement Mubungirwa on his amazing
accomplishments, recognizes his achievements, and requests the LHSAA to grant a hardship
or waive its age eligibility requirements to allow him to participate in LHSAA sports in his
senior year.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To commend and congratulate Clement Mubungirwa on his amazing accomplishments and2
recognize his achievements and to urge and request the Louisiana High School3
Athletic Association to grant a hardship or waive its age eligibility requirements to4
allow Clement Mubungirwa to participate in LHSAA sports programs in the5
2014-2015 school year.6
WHEREAS, Clement Mubungirwa and his family, which consisted of his widowed7
single mother, Masika Kaniki, and her seven children arrived in the United States in 20078
as a refugee family from Uganda sponsored by Catholic Charities, with little more than the9
clothes on their backs; and 10
WHEREAS, the family had endured years of horrific atrocities at the hands of the11
rebel forces terrorizing their homeland and Masika's husband and other family members12
were brutally murdered; and13
WHEREAS, Clement bravely escaped with his family, on foot in the dark of night,14
traveling many miles to the limited safety of various camps where refugees faced deplorable15
conditions and malnutrition; and16
WHEREAS, shortly after being granted political asylum, the family immigrated to17
the United States and arrived in Baton Rouge with no English language skills; and 18 SCR NO. 60
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WHEREAS, in January 2008, the school-age children were placed in public schools1
in East Baton Rouge Parish in grades consistent with their chronological ages so Clement,2
then age twelve, was placed in the seventh grade; and 3
WHEREAS, Clement's education assessment revealed that he had received little to4
no formal education, did not speak English, received little or no math and reading training,5
and had the equivalent of a first grade education; and6
WHEREAS, as Clement began to interact with other students and new friends, he7
became better equipped to communicate the difficulties he experienced in the classroom8
setting where he was teased and bullied by some classmates and he felt overwhelmed by all9
the amount and difficulty of schoolwork assignments he was expected to complete; and 10
WHEREAS, in the fall of 2008, Clement attended a Catholic elementary school,11
where pre-admission evaluation showed that while he was very intelligent, he lagged behind12
his grade level academically, so he was again placed in the seventh grade, which he13
successfully completed as well as the eighth grade, working tirelessly to catch up with his14
classmates, all the while exhibiting an amazing attitude and aptitude for learning; and 15
WHEREAS, in the fall of 2010, he was admitted to Episcopal High School where16
another round of pre-admission testing ensued and Clement repeated the eighth grade to17
further strengthen his academic skills; and 18
WHEREAS, Clement worked tirelessly in the classroom and after school to keep up19
his grades and during that time he was introduced to the sport of football, exhibited20
promising athletic skills, and began to participate in that school's sports program; and 21
WHEREAS, in the fall of 2014, Clement will enter his senior year at Episcopal High22
School and will also become nineteen years of age on July 7, and according to the tenets of23
the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA), will be ineligible to participate24
due to age parameters; and25
WHEREAS, the LHSAA administers sports programs for public and private schools26
throughout the state and establishes eligibility requirements for student participation in such27
programs; and28
WHEREAS, LHSAA's basic guidelines for age eligibility provide that a student29
cannot become nineteen years of age prior to September first of the current school year; and30 SCR NO. 60
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WHEREAS, according to the LHSAA guidelines, Clement is ineligible because of1
his age; and2
WHEREAS, the association's rules also provide a procedure that if a student-athlete3
is found ineligible under the LHSAA's basic eligibility requirements, a hardship can be4
granted; and5
WHEREAS, the amazing life of Clement Mubungirwa to journey from Uganda as6
a child to a junior in high school in Louisiana warrants consideration and supports a7
favorable decision from the LHSAA to allow him to participate in sports in his senior year.8
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby9
commend and congratulate Clement Mubungirwa for his amazing accomplishments and10
recognize his academic and athletic achievements.11
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana High School Athletic Association12
is hereby urged and requested to grant a hardship exception or waive its age eligibility13
requirements to allow Clement Mubungirwa to participate in LHSAA's sports programs in14
his senior year, 2014-2015.15
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to16
Clement Mubungirwa, the executive director of the Louisiana High School Athletic17
Association, and the principal of Episcopal High School.18
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
Claitor SCR No. 60
Commends Clement Mubungirwa for his amazing accomplishments and recognizes his
academic and athletic achievements.
Requests that the LHSAA grant a hardship exception or waive its age eligibility
requirements to allow Clement Mubungirwa to participate in LHSAA's sports programs in
his senior year, 2014-2015.