DECEMBER 28, 2015, 5:38 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015, 6:44 AM
BY GREGORY SCHUTTA
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
Years of debate. Months of meetings. Weeks of hand-wringing.
And in the end, athletes, coaches and officials of New Jersey high school sports find themselves right back where they started.
In a momentous announcement Monday, state Commissioner of Education David Hespe reversed controversial votes this month by state athletics’ governing body to separate public and non-public schools in football and on the road to the state wrestling tournament.
Related: Landmark vote splits N.J. H.S. football along public/non-public lines
The decision forces the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and school officials to yet again seek a lasting solution to the longest-running issue plaguing high school sports in the state: the competitive imbalance between public and non-public school teams.
“I’m disappointed,” said River Dell Athletic Director Denis Nelson, a strong proponent of the separation proposal in football. “The strategic and competitive advantage non-public schools have is going to continue. I don’t think it’s fair. I don’t think it’s right. But it is in existence.”
“We’re back to where we were,” said Bergen Catholic Athletic Director Jack McGovern. “I don’t know that that’s a great place. But now we know the parameters we have to work with, and we will continue to try to make it better.”
Why would the Commisioner allow the ADs to meet and then vote earlier this month knowing full well that he was going to overturn the vote…?
Commissioner should resign, a vote was taken and passed by a ratio of 2 to 1 he had no reason to overturn this.
The Catholic schools don’t have anyone to play with because they created their Frankenstein sports programs.
Enough of the sports bullshit….get back to class where you belong.