As The Political Ball Bounces
The IHSA makes its move but the dysfunction of state leaders unshakable
(Photo Credit: Herald Review)
The political posturing is well under way as it pertains to basketball in the state of Illinois.
The Illinois High School Association’s decision Wednesday to allow the basketball season to be played, rejecting state public health officials recommendations, is the right decision. It acted in a manner integrous with its charter and mission.
It stood up to a bully, that being Gov. Pritzker.
But we all know what happens when bullies get stones thrown back in their face.
They find a bigger rock.
That’s just what happened Thursday.
At his daily press briefing, Pritzker said this:
We aren’t saying these sports won’t be played. We are delaying the play of these sports. We are saying do training, do conditioning. Even the high-risk sports there are things they can do. It’s not like we are shutting the sports down. But these are all being moved into the spring with the hope that we will be seeing vaccines and treatments that will be effective.
Moving basketball to the spring? It’s nothing but political grandstanding. And it’s the latest episode in the ever dramatic real life soap opera, “As The Ball Bounces.”
Let’s go back to Wednesday. You know, all the way back to Wednesday. Of this week.
Then, Gov. Pritzker, while giving his daily press briefing, was informed by a reporter of the IHSA’s rejection of his health and safety guidelines.
In real time, this was his response:
We've told school districts what the rules are and I think they all know. The IHSA may have their views on it but the school districts know the rules. It's unfortunate...they could be taking on legal liability
A counter punch from Pritzker, no less.
Later in the day, after the IHSA released its shocking statement and after Pritzker’s response, IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson gave a series of interviews. He said this to WEEK-TV about the organization’s relationship with Gov. Pritzker:
We're not trying to be adversaries with the Governor's office or the Illinois Department of Public Health. I think our Board today just made a determination and we are sharing all the positive outcomes in other states and our board reached the conclusion today that we can do it successfully
Anderson’s intent may not be adversarial but actions of the IHSA speak otherwise.
And bravo to them. Pritzker’s hammer needed to be sawed off.
But it is naive to think he and his allies will just accept the IHSA’s disobedience.
Wednesday night, the Illinois State Board of Education fired off a statement intended to remind school districts who is in charge:
A finely-worded, firmly-toned release. I’ll translate.
Fall in line, prioritize OUR version of health and safety. Or else.
What’s interesting about the release from the ISBE is its reversal of its obligations when it comes to sports.
Over the summer, when the IHSA surrendered control of athletics to Pritzker and the IDPH, the ISBE showed little interest in overseeing decisions about sports.
This is a comment from ISBE Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen Ayala from July:
We understand the difficulties that Illinois Elementary School Association and Illinois High School Association programs are facing due to COVID-19, and that many families have questions connected to youth sports. ISBE does not have oversight over these associations or organized sports activities outside of physical education. We do not have authority over the guidance directing the activities of these organizations and cannot respond on their behalf. Individuals with concerns about youth sports and other extracurricular activities will need to contact the IESA or IHSA directly
With the IHSA attempting to seize back authority, the ISBE now wants a seat at the throne next to Pritzker?
The ISBE, another organization that claims to care first about educating kids, has adopted another shrewd negotiating tactic from Pritzker—hold onto the money. The organization went on in a statement to say it could withhold state funds for those who disobey and move forward with ‘high risk’ winter sports.
These actions are the height of hypocrisy and yet totally predicable. It’s the dysfunction that is Illinois.
While clearly subverting the governor’s authority, the IHSA can only do so much. The Sports Medicine Advisory Committee is not the Illinois Department of Public Health. It us up to the individual school districts to decide whether they want to act in non-compliance and play basketball this winter.
Chicago Public Schools made their decision late Thursday. It is opting out.
Earlier Thursday, Pritzker said this at an event:
It’s going to be problematic to allow sports…there may be people who catch it at a game…then potentially there will be legal liability that comes to the schools
So we have more specificity on the ‘liability’ issue.
If a student-athlete catches the virus, the parents might sue the school.
Could that happen? Sure. People file lawsuits for all sorts of reasons.
Are there virus cases tied to youth sports? Yes, in Minnesota. The state of New Jersey has a few dozen football teams that have stopped play due to Covid-related issues. More will come.
Expect cases to pop up in Illinois when basketball season starts.
This was never about slaying the virus. It’s about co-existing and living with it.
So ‘liability issues’ and ‘other ramifications’ are nothing more than terror-laced song lyrics from Grand Phantom of Fear and the Spooks.
Thursday’s latest verbal joust from Pritzker, saying that winter sports are being moved to spring, doesn’t change who must make the next move.
It’s school districts.
What will superintendents recommend to their school boards?
Superintendents are in a tough position, navigating the conflicting interests of government entities who are supposed to lead. But that’s not the world we live in. Unhealthy interpersonal behavior rules the day in this state with no sign of maturation.
Answers to these questions might bring some clarity as to what your school district might do:
Is your child in school now? How much disagreement is there between the superintendent and the BOE? How vocal have parents/students been objecting to decisions by superintendent/BOE about in-person learning?
A school board member for one suburban school told me he thought one scenario that could unfold is superintendents recommending an opt out, giving them political cover, but then hoping BOE’s would disagree and move forward. If supers recommend an opt in, BOE’s will rubber stamp.
Regardless, schools that choose to play will do so with the condition athletes sign consent forms, absolving districts of liability.
Most parents will sign those forms. They are used autographing waivers when it comes to their kids and athletics. Some may not. Their choice.
If an athlete tests positive at some point, I’m sure there will be plenty of personal injury attorneys lined up to take the case. We’ll see how future lawsuits are adjudicated.
But the threat of liability is simply not a legitimate reason to keeps the lights off.
What about all those successful contact days in September and October? How can a school official explain to a parent how it now ‘not safe’ when it was in the fall? School officials will probably say “we were adhering to state public health guidelines before. Those guidelines changed. The Governor said now it’s not safe.”
Good luck with that. Any parent who hears that excuse should ask for corroborating data. And not the positivity rate in McHenry County. That has nothing to do with how safe it is to play basketball in Lake or Northern Cook County. Ask for the number of high school athletes infected by the virus through playing sports. And then ask for how many of those athletes are in the hospital on ventilators.
If they can’t/won’t provide that information, parents can easily access the data on their own. They can then come to their own conclusions about what the true motivation of their school district is for opting out.
Is it about the health and safety of kids, or is it about protecting political self-interests?
Here is a letter shared in Twitter yesterday about the climate in District 113, which encompasses Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools. Those schools are currently in remote learning mode.
Two sections from the letter I will pull out and share:
First and foremost, let’s be clear. Cases of COVID-19 are currently rising and schools should not open for the first time during this increase. However, that is not an excuse to pause or stop the planning process.
Let’s be clear—there will never be zero risk. There might not be a vaccine that allows us to go back to school January 2021. We need to learn how to live with the virus and plan education delivery accordingly. One might argue that any risk is too great and that communities be completely COVID-19 free before moving to reopen schools. This is not only unrealistic and misinformed, but also ignores the enormous cost to children from closed schools. By not opening, you must recognize you are putting students at additional risk
I share this because it illuminates how the fight is not over. Don’t confuse the IHSA and Board of Directors’ rebellion with conquest.
Just like with the virus, diligence is required. An unruly oppressor sits atop the throne.
Hold people in power accountable, demand transparency. The ball will bounce this winter.
Will it in your gymnasium?