School Superintendents Want Cuomo To Reconsider Fall Sports

As public schools prepare for their fall sessions, the big question is what about fall sports? Yesterday, the New York State Council of School Superintendents wrote a letter to Governor Cuomo urging him to reconsider his decision to allow athletics to begin on September 21.

As it stands, Governor Cuomo is relying on school superintendents to make a decision on whether fall sports should resume in September. A group of superintendents is trying to throw the ball back into Governor Cuomo’s court. They asked Governor Cuomo to make a decision and to delay school athletics until at least next year.

The council sent a letter describing their difficulties in making a decision about fall sports. They said, “We have struggled to reconcile while students in physical education classes must be 12 feet apart, per reopening guidance, yet contact athletics and other activities that regularly bring athletes into close proximity are deemed safe at this time.”

The council had several specific questions:

1. How many buses will be needed for sports teams to travel?

2. How will social distancing work in locker rooms?

3. How will the locker rooms be cleaned and sanitized properly?

4. Will more staff be needed?

When Governor Cuomo was asked about the letter today, he said, “It’s up to the individual school districts to determine if they want to go ahead with the sports program. The different school districts are making different decisions and that’s fine. It’s up to them“.

Governor Cuomo offered guidelines for schools to resume their athletic programs by September 21. He emphasized that it was never mandatory that schools resume athletics.

What’s your take, will you allow your child to participate in athletics in the mist of the COVID-19 pandemic?