Board member pledges support for Manor girls, cites VHSL transfer rule ahead of court hearing

A Portsmouth school board member said she stands with the Manor High School varsity girls basketball team and will attend a court hearing the following morning, citing provisions of the Virginia High School League handbook about transfer and postseason eligibility.

During board member reports, the speaker referred to VHSL policy PM28A7‑1 (transfer rule and postseason ineligibility exceptions) and noted that the policy allows a district committee to waive the postseason ineligibility period "upon demonstration by the student that the transfer was necessitated by exceptional and unusual circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the student's family." The board member also asserted that "there is a loophole in this policy. There is no specific date in which you have to submit your postseason requirements," and said she would attend a court hearing on the matter the next morning.

The remarks were delivered as a board member's report rather than an agenda item; no formal board action, vote or policy change was recorded during the meeting. The board member framed the VHSL rule as potentially providing an avenue for a waiver and urged those supporting the team to pursue the available procedural steps.

The meeting adjourned with no further business recorded.