According to the Chicago Tribune, more than 1,000 people gathered in Wheaton, Illinois on Tuesday for a rally to bring back fall sports in its regular form as well as in-person learning to schools. The “We Stand for the Students” rally was formed by Wheaton businessmen Dave Ruggles and Eric Brown. On Sept. 3, Michigan government officials lifted an order restricting organized sports. The Michigan High School Athletic Association then reinstated football and other fall sports. On Sept. 4, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association announced football will resume in that state on Oct. 8. Colorado is considering doing the same for football and other fall sports.
While the subject of e-learning took up a majority of the 45-minute rally in Wheaton, the demand for sports to return also drew a huge reaction. Brown’s son, Parker, is a quarterback at Wheaton Warrenville South and Ruggle’s son is a varsity basketball player at the same school.
Ruggles spoke at the rally saying, “In Indiana, they are committed to in-person learning and sports. In Illinois, it’s like they have one foot on a banana peel and the other one out the door. They move the goal posts, and they just don’t have the resolve.”
The IHSA has changed its schedule from three to four seasons because of the coronavirus pandemic. Football, girls volleyball and boys soccer were moved from fall to the spring. Craig Anderson, the executive director of the IHSA, said he’s still exploring all options. “We continue to have conversations with state leaders on the safe resumption of all IHSA sports and activities. We also intend to seek clarification on what, if any, impact the resumption of high school football in states like Michigan will have here in Illinois. We understand there is a strong desire by many for high school sports to resume on an accelerated timeline, but we also remain respectful of the fact that our state’s conservative approach has helped Illinois achieve lower COVID-19 positivity rates. We encourage everyone involved in this rally to be safe, smart and respectful.”
