* CBS 2…
Parents and students continue to put pressure on Gov. JB Pritzker to reopen schools and school sports.
Rallies were held Thursday in the northwest and southwest suburbs, including Orland Park. As CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey reported, parents said the status quo – rooted in precautions for COVID-19, is doing more harm than good.
Sources said the discussions were continuing Thursday night, and that the Governor’s office is at least reviewing these requests to return fall sports in Illinois.
I asked the governor’s office if the last line of the piece was accurate. “No,” was the answer.
*** UPDATE *** Shaw Media…
IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson joined Bloomington radio station WJBC-AM 1320 on Friday and shot down rumors that the IHSA, the Illinois Department of Public Health and Governor JB Pritzker are close to announcing a full return of fall sports, including football, girls volleyball and boys soccer.
“Well, there’s an insider out there that really truly isn’t an insider that’s really providing some false information to the media,” Anderson said. “And it’s quite unfortunate. That’s what I can share right off the top.”
Anderson said there has been a single phone call by Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, and Dr. Cynthia LaBella, who heads the IHSA’s Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. Anderson said the phone call was “simply a call for an invitation” and no follow-up has been made this week.
“While we hope in one facet it to be some progress toward us resuming more activities for our students that we’re currently offering at the present time, there is no movement and no further conversation other than that request to join and support IDPH in that communication and how they would return,” Anderson said.
Some news outlets need to take a breath already.
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 2:00 pm:
As I tried to say earlier, there seems to be a problem developing in the southwest suburbs.
It might be seen by some as something only on social media, but some of these towns are basically turning into mirrors of the worst of social media as the local leaders are failing to get in front of it.
These types of lies are spreading, fast. Often from local elected officials who are not just repeating these types of things, but actively encouraging them.
- Anyone Remember - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 2:00 pm:
All those who want to totally re-open high school sports should read Phil Luciano’s piece about the 37 year old woman with no pre-existing conditions who died of COVID-19. Link in today’s Open Thread.
- Cheryl44 - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 2:01 pm:
Ugh. Sports really aren’t more important than beating this thing.
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 2:01 pm:
To add to the above comment.
Local towns are already voting for and setting official trick or treat hours. The cat is out of the bag. Any guidance on it now is going to land on deaf ears out here.
- Mama - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 2:05 pm:
If people want football, they should all practice social distancing and wearing mask in public.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 2:08 pm:
If you say it enough, you start believing it.
“The Governor will review it”
He’s not. They aren’t. It’s over.
Spring, “think spring”… can’t rally around that?
- Mama - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 2:10 pm:
I think a big problem is parents are afraid their kid will not get a sport’s scholarship to go to college if they don’t play sports this year. Can the state afford to pass out more scholarships in lieu of a sports scholarship?
- Jocko - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 2:24 pm:
==the status quo…is doing more harm than good.==
With all this extra time, I would encourage the Orland Park protesters to attend the infant’s wake in DeKalb or see if the families of the 50 & 60 year olds (in Cook) or 40 yo (in DuPage) might need anything.
- Benjamin - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 2:37 pm:
@Mama–that may be so, but the vast majority of college-bound kids *don’t* get sports scholarships. Their kids would be better off spending their canceled season with an ACT prep guide.
- Pundent - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 2:54 pm:
=@Mama–that may be so, but the vast majority of college-bound kids *don’t* get sports scholarships.=
And for those that do colleges know who they are and how to get the background they need to make their decisions. Does anybody think that colleges will cancel football next year because they couldn’t get to games to see H.S. seniors? Have you seen how much revenue college football generates?
The percentage of kids that play H.S. football is small. Those that have a legitimate chance to play beyond H.S. on scholarship even smaller. We shouldn’t put the lives of other students and the community at large for what amounts to a handful of athletes.
- Dotnonymous - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 3:31 pm:
Wishin’s ain’t gettin’s.
- RIkkiTikki - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 3:39 pm:
@Pundent I agree. Unless a kid has some major break out season, Juniors were are already being contacted by interested schools. Some kids were/are already playing travel sports in open states are getting contacts that way too.
- dbk - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 3:44 pm:
As I’ve noted, if the positivity rate in the state were 0.5%, I’d say “go for it.” But it’s not, and so, it’s no go.
Too many of our fellow-Illinoisans didn’t (won’t) follow the prescriptions faithfully - masks, distancing, hygiene.
To have nice things, sacrifices may be required - this seems to be a novel concept to many.
- crazybleedingheart - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 4:03 pm:
Based on how bad some coaches are at following IDPH rules for the “safe” sports going on now, Pritzker had better hold the line on this. Outbreaks are probably in the works.
- crazybleedingheart - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 4:09 pm:
Orland Park Carl Sandburg HS girls cross country
https://s3.amazonaws.com/pubtemp/live/content/sandburg/cache/473×353/308439.jpg
- Unconventionalwisdom - Friday, Sep 18, 20 @ 4:30 pm:
“Their kids would be better off spending their canceled season with an ACT prep guide.”
Good advice!