Moving forward, religious students can now participate on sports teams at their home districts, due to an Interim Consent Order that was entered Monday in federal court, the Thomas More Society said.
The victory comes after a lawsuit was filed earlier in the summer by the Thomas More Society, alleging the PIAA’s Bylaws violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
“It is rewarding to see talented parochial school athletes finally being allowed to participate in their home school district’s athletic programs,” Thomas More Society Special Counsel Thomas Breth, who represents the families, said. “This is a huge relief for parents and students across Pennsylvania who have been unnecessary excluded from participation simply because of their desire to pursue a faith-based education.”
Parents should contact the Athletic Director (AD) and the Superintendent of the home school district for their student to participate in sporting activities. Ask the AD or Superintendent to contact PIAA Executive Director Dr. Lombardo and/or the PIAA Chief Operating Officer Mark Byers to confirm if their student is eligible, according to the Thomas More Society.
The Thomas More Society said non-faith-based students, including those who are homeschooled or enrolled in charter schools, are already allowed to partake in their home district sports, but the Bylaws did not allow parochial students. The PIAA is currently working on changing its Bylaws to comply with the order.
“The PIAA’s current Bylaws are in direct violation of the constitutional rights of families who wish to provide their children with a faith-based education, while still pursuing athletic opportunities in their home school districts,” Breth said.
A federal court also ruled earlier this year that public school districts in Pennsylvania are required to accept parochial students into extracurricular and cocurricular activities.
Pennsylvania lawmakers, State Representatives Scott Barger (R-80), Joseph D’Orsie (R-47), and Rich Irvin (R-81) announced in April that they were going to introduce legislation allowing religious students to partake in sports at public school districts.
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