Governor JB Pritzker – IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson
(5-1-20) Earlier this week Illinois Governor JB Pritzker mentioned that Illinois schools may have to start the the 2020-21 school year out under the e-learning system. That would mean that students would not be returning to their buildings when classes are scheduled to start, and most likely would cause an issue with fall sports seasons being delayed or cancelled.
Due to the COVID 19 pandemic Illinois schools have been closed since March and will not open again this year. States have continued to extend their stay at home orders since March, how long that will continue is the question.
SSN contacted the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) for a statement and implications of the Governor’s possible e-learning plan.
IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson:
“The IHSA will continue to abide by the Governor’s recommendations during this unprecedented pandemic and encourage our member high schools to do so as well. We understand that the Governor wants all of us to be prepared for the possibility that the pandemic will impact traditional educational and extracurricular schedules this fall. The IHSA staff has begun and will continue to work on ideas to conduct high school sports and activities in 2020-21, both in traditional and non-traditional formats. As we progress in the coming weeks and months, we will begin to seek more feedback from state officials, the IHSA Board of Directors, and our member high schools on how we proceed in the fall of 2020 and beyond.”
Illinois is not the only state facing this issue, yesterday the Ohio Department of Health gave an order to keep all school facilities closed until July 1st due to the pandemic. The Ohio High School Athletic Association(OHSAA) also extended the no-contact period and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine extended the stay at home order today until May 29th.
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