Public vs. Private Schools Debate In
HS Sports
We would like to see something done to address the issue of
fairness as it relates to public and private schools. Class sports
were created in Indiana so that schools were competing in the state
tournament against similar schools. Currently, there is a difference
between public and private schools at each level.
I think the private schools should be moved up a class. My principal
thinks that private schools should play in their own class. There is
no consensus on this issue, even among the schools that want something
done. That is one of the problems. The other is that there is a
threat of litigation from the private schools if there is a rule that only impacts them.
I would be very interested in learning what you have compiled from
state
to state and in the state of Indiana.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
In
our state, it may be difficult having a separate state champ because of the
small number of private schools. As there becomes an increase in the
number of private schools, I think there could be a chance of separate state
champions. This has become a problem in our smaller divisions, because
these classes are getting dominated by the private schools.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI think you can make a case for a small group of Public Schools that
keep winning state championships as well, not just Private. Should
we give them their own class as well? I really don't think anything
needs to be done in Indiana. Some teams have better programs,
Private or Public, than others and the only solution is to build your
own program with good coaches, volunteers, community support and old
fashioned hard work.
On a side note, if you do separate the two then there will be no
rules governing the private schools as they will form their own
association. If this happens then you will see recruiting and
scholarships given to outstanding athletes.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I
see a problem. I find it hard to believe our governing body will place a
public school on probabtion for recruiting, while this is a daily practice for
the private schools. Wouldn't this be kind of like saying...okay
Michigan, you can pay your players hundreds of thousands of dollars, while the
others may pay their recruits/athletes, but if they get caught...big
trouble. What the heck?
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I believe that private schools should be elevated at least
one class. Size is not the best determining factor. Families that
can afford to send their kids to private schools also provide their kids with
the best outside coaching, teaching facilities, and can afford to
spend countless hours refining their games, because they don't have to work for
spending money like most high school kids do that attend public schools.
I have been told of incidents where an athlete was promised
that his tuition would be paid, but when it was found that he would not be
academically eligible to participate in athletics first grading period. The offer for tuition to be paid was
withdrawn. There should be rules that private schools are required to
follow in the recruitment of
prospective student athletes. In our area there has been a consistent
trend of athletes from a 100 mile radius of a certain private school
transferring from area public schools because these athletes don't like their
public school coach or his style of ball, or because they feel
that they will not get noticed for a college athletic scholarship if they stay
in their public school. The private school is in the smallest class, but
consistently has talent on the same level as most third largest class schools
and has year in and year out been to the state
finals. This demoralizes the public schools in the small class.
Class sports were suppose to create a level playing field. All it has
done is give the private schools a tremendous competitive advantage over the
rest.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I do not like that there are those that are even fighting
this battle, but there are differences between public and private schools.
Shear numbers, parental support, financial support, quality of coaching, work
ethic, are some of the differences. Private schools usually have
an overall higher quality of student when compared to the public school
counterpart. Whether it is academic and/or financial, students in private
schools tend to have more potential than those in public schools. For
years there have been soci-economic issues and differences in schools; I think
that private schools tend to have an advantage over
public schools in the number of quality student-athletes that they
attract. Combine a superior work ethic, quality coaching and more active
parental support, these things seem to widen the gap that exists between the
private and public school programs. I have worked in both public and private
schools; I currently work in public schools and my four kids attend private
schools, not for any of the above reasons, but because of our religious beliefs
and the importance we place in our faith. I would not like to see
"separate"
tournaments but hope that Indiana can come to some other solution, if we change
anything at all!!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I don't
think that two tournaments would work. I would like to see private
schools moved up one class from what they are currently with enrollment to even
things up a little more!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
From
Arkansas-
1. I did a study on this subject several years ago as part of my Masters Degree program. At that time, the biggest issues were not with the majority of private schools, but rather the super-athletic private schools that have emerged in urban areas which successful recruit the majority of the elite athletes in a given area and dominate state and local competitions. The effective measures attempted back then in several states were: 1. The school population multiplier for private schools which causes them to elevate classifications.
2.Restricting a private school's athletic eligibility to those students living in the public school attendance zone in which the private school is located.
3.Limiting the proportion of students on financial
assistance in an athletic program to
the proportion of students for the entire private school population (If 10% of
the student body is on financial aid, then only 10% of the athletes may be on
aid). Separation was one of the least favored alternatives.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
South Carolina High School League presently has only four private schools that are members.The other private schools have an association of their own.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I have served on public-private
committee for a number of years. I do not pretend to know the answer to
dilemma. The best avenue to deal with both public and private schools
that cheat or recruit is for the schools in the state to refuse to play
them.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I have been
in a private school (Catholic) where a large public school got away with
recruiting our athletes and taking some of our best---it goes two ways. I
don't want any changes in Indiana. I am now in a large public
school. But I say if the public schools think that they are having a
problem competing (the gripe is usually in football) then they need to get
better.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I don't see a problem in Iowa. It is working on our state.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
1. Yes, I would like to see private schools put in a separate class
1a. No, having a final game private vs public would defeat the
purpose of having a champion.
1b. The preference would be a separate class for the private vs the
public, but raising each school up a class would be a second option.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI'd think that the cost would be too high for that. But I do think
since the enrollment of the private schools can be controlled by the
private schools then they should be put at the highest classification
in their state.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXCertainly, there exist some questions of parochial schools dominating
in football at times. However, this has been going on for years. There are reasons for this. Youth football and CYO programs.
Financial aid has never been a factor in execution on the field at our school.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Either
the private schools play in regular conferences to get into the state
tournaments, or the have their own conference to play through in order to
get to the tournaments. Though the kids pay to go to school, unless the
schools are recruiting athletes, they probably are no more or less competitive
than public schools. I am from Canada, and the same problem exists in
Ontario. Public schools get concerned when the high school championship
in hockey is won by a private school,and 3 of the 4 teams in the final 4 in
hockey are private, though they deserve to be there because they won their
conference tournaments over public schools. They have discussed having
their own conference to play into the final four tournament, but this has yet
to happen.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
1. I do not think the association should sponsor a private tournament, public only. However, if one must be sponsored, there needs to be two separate state tournaments.
1a. THERE SHOULD NEVER BE A CHAMPIONSHIP CONTEST BETWEEN Public champ vs. Private champ. A “true” state champ is unimportant, it is only a media item.
1b. If the public and private must compete against each other, the private school automatically should be elevated one class based on size.
2. I feel this is a problem and should be dealt with. The private schools do not “play” under the same rules as public schools in some areas. I support the family decision to attend a private school, however, public and private should not compete against each other in athletic competition.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The insinuation is that private schools have some sort of an advantage (because we can recruit?). Hogwash. The percentage of students who attend catholic grade schools in our town and then go to public high school is significantly higher than the percentage of students who attend public grade schools and then attend our high school.
With open enrollment policies for public schools in effect in Iowa, drawing students from surrounding areas is a moot point.
We abide by constitution and by-laws of both IGHSAU and IHSAA. We are subject to the same restrictions as every public school. The reason for success (when it occurs) is the same as it is in every other successful school: supportive parents, good athletes, quality coaching. To suggest otherwise is to deny that our coaches and athletes work hard.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
We absolutely believe that something needs to be done to deal with what we see
as an unfair advantage for private/parochial schools. Separate tournaments
with out the champs playing each other or elevating them one class would both be
seem favorably.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I teach and coach at a public school in a town with 4 public schools and 4 private schools. 3 of the 4 private schools are in single A (lowest enrollment class) and 1 private and the 4 public are in double A. I think it's dumb to separate any of them. If it were up to me we should all play in the same class. One state champ is enough.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx