The high stakes game of “chicken” continues in Illinois. At stake is whether or not high school basketball will be played starting in December or in the spring….or even at all.
The Illinois
High School Association was prepared to start on December 1st with
many safeguards designed to make the sport safer for athletes. They modeled
their rules after what has happened in nearly every other Midwest state.
But the
Governor thought differently. He ordered basketball season be kicked down the
road until next calendar year. Now everybody has an opinion. Three state
representatives including our own Darren Bailey issued a letter this week
urging local school boards to make the decision.
That’s kind
of a moot point. They will end up deciding---either with the IHSA or the
Governor. Boards of education have to consult their insurance carriers and
legal counsel to weigh the risk of going against J.B. Pritzker. It isn’t even
known whether or not they could be personally liable if someone got sick. Boards
will most assuredly be skewered by parents and athletes for whatever they
decide.
This will
come to a head fast. Practice was supposed to start in less than two weeks.
Special school board meetings will have to occur before. They will be heavily
attended and emotional.
Here’s your
sign…Central Illinois Catholic schools, Springfield and Chicago Public Schools
have already weighed in. They aren’t playing.
…and that
leads me to believe The Mule Barn will be silent this winter.
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