CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – County students in kindergarten through eighth grade will need a parent or guardian with them if they want to attend Albemarle High School football games this season, according to an email sent to the community by principal Damean Barfield on Tuesday.
A copy of the email was shared with Cville Right Now in which Barfield cites “an uptick in the number of verbal altercations, disruptions and potential fights, mostly by unsupervised middle school students.”
Fans will also pass through a weapons screening on their way into games.
“As you are fully aware, I am committed to the overall safety and security of our learning community and this includes athletics, performances and other activities,” Barfield wrote in the email. “Football games are a major part of high school culture and it should be a safe venue for families to enjoy free of disruption.”
From there, the email outlines the new policy, which Barfield terms “a significant change.”
Starting on Aug. 29, when Albemarle opens its season hosting Collegiate, all spectators from kindergarten through eighth grade and under the age of 13 who attend an Albemarle football home game must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 21.
The email says the adult is required to buy a ticket and stay with the child during the event, a policy that will be spelled out on the admission tickets.
Also, Albemarle will not allow fans to enter the game after the third quarter has begun and it will continue its no re-entry policy.
A second email, sent to parents of Journey Middle School students by principal Ashby Johnson details the new policy as well, emphasizing that, “Middle school students will not be able to attend the Albemarle High School football games without a parent/guardian.”
The Patriots host six home games this season, including a Sept. 25 meeting with Charlottesville and an Oct. 31 contest against Monticello. It’s unclear if the county’s other schools – Western Albemarle and Monticello – will have similar policies.
An ACPS spokesperson did not return a request for comment Tuesday night.
