Jones parents file complaint against IHSA, CPS to keep cross country team in state playoffs

The parents of 14 cross country runners at Jones College Prep filed a complaint in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on Thursday on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike.

The complaint, filed by attorney Kevin Sterling, claims that removing the athletes from the IHSA state competition is “in violation of the rights conferred on CPS student-athletes to participate in such competitions during the Strike.”

“The adults need to find a way to let the kids play,” Simeon football player Ronald Haggins said. “Everyone across the city wants to play, it isn’t just one school. Everyone wants to try to win state.”

According to IHSA bylaws once the “competition” of a state playoff begins, any teams or players involved when a district strikes will still be allowed to compete in the playoffs. Teams are only held out of the state playoffs if the strike begins before the state playoffs.

The complaint makes the case that the competition began with the Chicago Public League city championship meet on Oct. 16, before the strike began on Oct. 17, and that all the runners that participated in that meet and are registered for the state meet should be allowed to participate.

Dozens of students gather outside the Daley Center for a press conference about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

1 of 15

Flanked by dozens of students, attorney Kevin Sterling speaks during a press conference outside the Daley Center about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

2 of 15

Dozens of students gather outside the Daley Center for a press conference about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

3 of 15

Dozens of students gather outside the Daley Center for a press conference about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

4 of 15

Ian Bacon, a senior at Jones College Preparatory High School who runs cross country, speaks during a press conference outside the Daley Center about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

5 of 15

Dozens of students gather outside the Daley Center for a press conference about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

6 of 15

Angel Arismendiz, a senior at George Washington High School who plays soccer, speaks during a press conference outside the Daley Center about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

7 of 15

Flanked by dozens of students, attorney Kevin Sterling speaks during a press conference outside the Daley Center about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

8 of 15

Ian Bacon, a senior at Jones College Preparatory High School who runs cross country, speaks during a press conference outside the Daley Center about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

9 of 15

Sydney Partyka, a senior at Taft High School who runs cross country, speaks during a press conference outside the Daley Center about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

10 of 15

Alvaro Perez, a teacher and soccer coach at George Washington High School, speaks during a press conference outside the Daley Center about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

11 of 15

Attorney Kevin Sterling speaks during a press conference outside the Daley Center about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

12 of 15

Alvaro Perez, a teacher and soccer coach at George Washington High School, speaks during a press conference outside the Daley Center about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

13 of 15

Sydney Partyka, a senior at Taft High School who runs cross country, speaks during a press conference outside the Daley Center about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

14 of 15

Joe Trost speaks during a press conference outside the Daley Center about a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit court against the Illinois High School Association and the Chicago Board of Education on behalf of all Chicago Public Schools athletes that have missed out on state playoffs as a result of the Chicago Teachers Union strike, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

15 of 15

Sterling says he had a lengthy conversation with Craig Anderson, the executive director of the IHSA, on Wednesday.

“I told him there is enough latitude and grayness in the IHSA policy and guidelines that would allow them to come up with a flexible and creative solution to permit these athletes to compete,” Sterling said. “Not just cross country, all the athletes across the city. They aren’t doing that. They are politically trying to throw this at CPS and say it is their fault. I blame both of them. The kids are becoming collateral damage.”

Athletes and coaches from several different sports rallied in support of the complaint Thursday afternoon outside Cook County Circuit Court. There will be a hearing on the temporary restraining order at 10:30 a.m. on Friday.

“Naturally we are all frustrated at the prospect of having our seasons cut short,” Jones senior Ian Bacon said. “We’ve been working for this goal of running in the postseason since June. I just want to point out that this fight is not just for us. It is for all of the future student athletes that may find themselves in this situation.”

Soccer, tennis and football teams around the city have been dealing with fallout from the strike all week. The Jones cross country parents are the first group to seek a legal remedy.

“I just feel like they have better support,” Simeon quarterback Jacquez Woodland said. “A lot of people don’t really want to support a lot of black kids. Not to say it is a racial thing. But now that [the legal action] is happening it is helping everyone.”

A spokesperson from the IHSA confirmed that cross country runners will be out of the state meet if the strike isn’t settled by late Friday or early Saturday morning. Most of the state regionals begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

The last time the IHSA lost a major court battle was in 1995 against Mount Carmel. The IHSA responded by canceling the state wrestling tournament entirely.

“If that is the choice they make I think that they need to reevaluate,” Sterling said. “The IHSA is here for [the students] not to protect their jobs and their policies.”

Sterling said that non-CTU coaches at the schools could step up and take over the teams and also mentioned volunteer coaches from the suburbs. The IHSA, which requires coaches to be certified, would likely have major liability concerns with that situation. Simeon’s football team, for example, doesn’t have any non-CTU coaches that are certified.

The IHSA released a statement on Thursday afternoon.

“The IHSA has established a Strike Policy consistent with Illinois State Board of Education policies regarding student participation in school activities during a strike,” Anderson said. “The IHSA staff has consistently enforced that policy.”