September 27, 2005
The Illinois High School Association notified its 751 members earlier today that 32 members of the association have chosen to pursue a legal remedy to the IHSA Board of Directors’ decision to implement a 1.65 multiplier on non-boundary schools for the purposes of classification in IHSA sports and activities for the 2005-06 school term. The 32 schools filed suit today in Cook County Circuit Court on five counts.
Over twenty years ago (1981), the association’s Board formed a committee to look at various alternatives to help create a more level playing field. More recently, in both 1995 and 2001, the Board appointed committees to continue exploring ways to create a more level playing field for member schools of the IHSA. Based on the work of these groups, revisions to the recruiting rule, required meetings for principals, modifications to the recruiting and transfer rule, and enhanced educational efforts for principals have all been implemented. Despite these efforts, many member school principals continued to feel that the association had not met the goal of leveling the playing field between boundaried and non-boundaried schools. As a result, the Board appointed another committee in March of 2004 to address this issue, and it was after the work of that committee that the Board adopted the use of the multiplier for this school term.
"Although this action does not come as a surprise, it is disappointing that a segment of our membership would try and impose its own self-interests against the desires of the association in this manner," said IHSA Executive Director Dr. Marty Hickman. "Our association has existed for over 100 years because of the commitment made by member school principals to participate in its governance and to abide by the decisions made by our Board, even when those decisions run counter to the wishes of any one member school. And it is that commitment to the greater good that will serve as our compass as we continue to work as one to develop responsible citizens through participation in interscholastic activities."
The 32 schools filing this action today include: Chicago (De La Salle), Chicago (St. Ignatius), Chicago (Leo), Chicago (Brother Rice), Chicago (Hales Franciscan), Chicago (St. Rita), Chicago (St. Francis de Sales), Burbank (St. Laurence), Wilmette (Loyola Academy), Chicago Heights (Marian), Chicago (Notre Dame), New Lenox (Providence Catholic), Chicago (Gordon Tech), Chicago (Maria), LaGrange Park (Nazareth Academy), Addison (Driscoll), Lombard (Montini), Chicago (Providence-St. Mel), Kankakee (McNamara), Lemont (Mt. Assisi Academy), Decatur (St. Teresa), River Grove (Guerin), Belleville (Althoff), Wheaton (St. Francis), Rock Island (Alleman), Quincy (Notre Dame), Breese (Mater Dei), Chicago (Marist), South Holland (Seton Academy), Springfield (Sacred Heart-Griffin), Burbank (Queen of Peace), and Sterling (Newman Central Catholic).