There's still some uncertainty when it comes to which districts will participate in a fall high school sports season.
Governor Andrew Cuomo provided guidance for “low-risk” sports to begin practicing in mid-September. But the Council for School Superintendents quickly sent a letter to the governor, asking him to delay sports until January 1.
What You Need To Know
- Governor Cuomo has issued guidance for fall sports, saying districts can begin practicing next month
- The Council of School Superintendents sent a letter to the governor asking for sports to be postponed to January 1
- Governor Cuomo says the decision remains up to districts
The letter says in part, "Our leaders want a successful reopening and are expressing a strong desire to defer all other activities that could endanger the health and safety of students and delay their start in the classroom."
Robert Lowry, the deputy director of the NYS Council of School Superintendents, says the decision is based on a number of factors, explaining, "We heard a lot of reaction from superintendents, not all of them, but a lot of them just saying this is one more thing for us to try to take on and manage."
Shenendehowa Superintendent Dr. L. Oliver Robinson was not available for comment on Thursday but posted to Twitter in support of fall sports on Wednesday.
I think students need athletics for mental health and to feel a sense of normal in school. Some have been without extracurriculars since March. I’m confident athletic directors can meet the expectations. I ask that we first make a gallant try before throwing in the towel. https://t.co/yF7v8UKBtl
— Dr. L. Oliver Robinson (@OliverRobinso13) August 27, 2020
Meanwhile, speaking to the press on Thursday, Governor Cuomo said he will continue to leave the decision up to the districts.
"The guidance said if you want to do high school sports, this is how you do it. If you don't want to do high school sports, don't do it," said Cuomo.
