House committee moves to prevent LHSAA split

Published 9:59 am Thursday, March 24, 2016

BATON ROUGE — House Education Committee members voted 7-5 on Wednesday to approve legislation aimed at preventing a split postseason between private and public schools that receive state funds.

House Bill 863, by Rep. Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, was reported favorably as amended and heads to the House floor. Under the bill, public or private schools that receive state funds can’t be part of “any interscholastic extracurricular athletic association or organization” that subdivides schools into select admission and non-select admission schools for athletic playoffs.

Talbot’s legislation addresses a move by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association two years ago that split the football playoffs between select, or private schools, and non-select, or public schools. He said that has led to poor-performing teams being able to complete in playoff games and has “hurt the integrity” of championship football teams.

The LHSAA board in January voted to further split baseball, softball and basketball — which he said puts further strain on competition.

Because of this, Talbot said, private and parochial schools are talking about forming their own association separate from the LHSAA. He said his bill is meant to save the LHSAA.

“But what has transpired in January is giving us no choice,” Talbot said. “It further deteriorates the integrity of high school sports.”

Several lawmakers, including Rep. Eugene Reynolds, D-Minden, said the Legislature should stay out of the decision made by the LHSAA. Rep. Patricia Smith, D-Baton Rouge, agreed, saying the Legislature doesn’t control the LHSAA, a private organization.

Several officials spoke in favor of the bill, including Denny Duron, founder of Evangel Christian Academy, and the Rev. Anthony McGinn, principal of Jesuit High School of New Orleans. Duron said that splitting the playoffs between select and non-select schools removed competition from athletics and that the move by the LHSAA is “discriminatory in its intent.”

Voting for the bill were Reps. Nancy Landry, R-Lafayette; Beryl Amedée, R-Houma; Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge; Stephanie Hilferty, R-Metairie; Walt Leger, D-New Orleans; Chris Broadwater, R-Hammond; and Reid Falconer, R-Mandeville.

Reps. Joe Bouie, D-New Orleans; Jeff Hall, D-Alexandria; Edward Price, D-Gonzales; Reynolds; and Smith opposed the legislation.

Also on Wednesday, the Diocese of Lake Charles released a statement about the divide between public and private schools:

“The Bishops of Louisiana have approved the formation of a task force to continue looking into all options when it comes to the future of Catholic high school athletics. The recent news reports are inaccurate as they state that a decision has been made.

“The Catholic school superintendents will convene the task force in the coming months and it will be comprised of members from each of the dioceses of the state. By no means does this mean the Catholic schools of Louisiana have closed the door on LHSAA membership, nor has there been a commitment to any one future plan. The task force will be working for what is in the best interest of the student-athletes in Catholic schools throughout the state. We must examine all options in order to make a wise decision.”

Last week a memo was leaked to the media that seemed to indicate that the Catholic schools were a part of a group looking to leave the LHSAA and form their own association.

While that is still an option, Wednesday’s statement seems to leave the door open for the Catholic schools to go in just about any direction, including staying with the LHSAA.

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Follow John Guidroz on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnAmPress 

Barbe High School