Put parents in stands
High school sports will go forward this fall in Pennsylvania, although no spectators will be allowed in the stands as a way to control the coronavirus pandemic.
On this point, the governor and health officials should make a slight accommodation for outdoor sports and permit the parents of players and the band ( in the case of football) to attend the home contests.
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association board of directors recently approved plans to conduct fall sports, ranging from football and soccer to cross- country and tennis. The PIAA board did, however, leave the decision on whether to play fall sports up to the individual school districts.
The board made its decision despite recommendations from Gov. Tom Wolf and the state Department of Health that school and recreational sports be halted until after the first of the year.
The league did agree to follow the guideline from the governor’s office and the state Department of Education that games be played without any fans.
Although the restrictions on crowds are well intentioned as ways to limit the spread of the coronavirus, it seems obvious that sports such as football and soccer — typically played in stadiums with hundreds of seats — could easily accommodate parents while still maintaining social distancing.
If only the parents of football players and band members, for instance, were permitted into the high school stadium, that might total a few hundred people. They should be required to wear masks and sit only in designated seats so as to provide social distancing, but it could be done and provide parents with an opportunity to share their child’s performances.
More than 60 Republican lawmakers sent letters to Mr. Wolf and PIAA officials earlier this month, arguing that with social distancing, parents could safely attend games. The letter noted that “it makes no sense that people might be less safe sitting in the football stands or around the high school track at a soccer match, with appropriate modifications, than in the aisles of their local mega retailer.”
There is good reason to limit crowds during this time of pandemic, but there are ways to allow parents into outdoor sporting venues while still adhering to safety guidelines. The governor and the Health Department should allow parents to watch their children in action.