Eye On Illinois: Once again, lawmakers consider stepping on IHSA’s self governance

The Illinois High School Association, like most organizations, isn’t interested in losing power.

Member schools elect IHSA directors who hire an executive director and staff. The layers insulating IHSA policies from lawmakers and taxpayers are thicker than in most other education matters, but if the right people get angry, that self-governance will earn intense scrutiny.

That text – from an April 2024 column about a failed legislative proposal to strip the IHSA of its ability to limit sports participation when students transfer – again resonates in the context of House Bill 3037, the “Right to Play Act” targeting IHSA’s control on participation in non-school activities.

As with the transfer situation, lawmakers are paying attention because their constituents complained about IHSA rule applications and lack of recourse.

“We have cross country runners who are running a charity race during the cross country season. IHSA found out and disqualified that runner for the rest of the season,” state Rep. Janet Yang-Rohr, D-Naperville, told the House Education Policy Committee, according to Capitol News Illinois. “We have members of a high school pom squad in Will County. Members of that pom squad went to a dance competition, and IHSA found out and disqualified those dancers for the rest of the season.”

Yang-Rohr, the lead sponsor, is like anyone else who has encountered an IHSA policy and found it lacking in common sense as applied. But most people don’t have options. Legislators are different because although the IHSA isn’t an official government body, it can’t trump state law.

That’s not to say IHSA policies are without common sense. It’s worth noting my kids participate in IHSA sports and activities, I’ve used IHSA media credentials and – providing I pass my rules exam – I remain certified as a baseball umpire. The organization does a lot of great work, and with respect to outside participation, there are valid concerns.

CNI quoted state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, telling fellow committee members concerns about kids under concussion protocol at school being allowed to play for their club teams, or coaches being unwilling to compromise on athlete availability. She voted present based on those and other possible issues, many of which contributed to IHSA erecting guardrails in the first place.

In a situation where IHSA’s broad policy causes unintended consequences, it’s easy to understand how a full-scale reversal could result in a similar number of albeit different problems. That would seem to argue for a more targeted solution, such as IHSA members further clarifying the existing policy on outside participation to eliminate the more egregious rulings, but power struggles tend to lack nuance.

Be it transfers, club sports, private schools in state tournaments or other issues, IHSA rules are not walled off from legislative intervention.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.