IMPACT ON ATHLETES No games; pratices possible
The games won’t go on — but the practices sessions may — for Chicago Public Schools students during the teachers strike that began on Monday.
The Illinois High School Association’s board of directors on Monday turned down a CPS request to waive a bylaw prohibiting teams from playing interscholastic contests during a strike.
IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman said the organization’s directors were uncomfortable with the idea of waiving a rule that has been enforced during numerous strikes around the state over the years.
“They felt that it was really beyond the scope of their authority,” Hickman said. “This was a bylaw approved by our membership. It says very clearly, if you’re on strike, you can’t participate in interscholastic athletic activities. It wasn’t like granting a waiver to a board policy; it was a bylaw.”
But IHSA rules give local school boards the option to allow organized practices with coaches during walkouts, and the top CPS sports official said Monday the city would pursue that approach.
“We will give consideration in cases where certified coaches are present and all participating student-athletes have parent permission and medical clearance,” Public League director of sports administration Calvin Davis wrote in a text message. “Safety is paramount and location is important as well.”
Until any CPS contingency plan is in place for coaches to return to practice, athletes are resorting to organizing their own workouts.
Bob Geiger, who teaches at Whitney Young and coaches the girls cross country team, has no intention of crossing the teachers’ picket line in order to return to his team.
“Any union member that coaches a [Public League] team is a scab,” Geiger said.