CPS runners can participate in state cross-country meet; appellate court won’t hear appeal until next week

Mather’s cross-country team and 12 individual state qualifiers from Chicago Public Schools will be able to compete in Saturday’s state meet in Peoria.

The appellate court decided not to rule on the Illinois High School Association’s appeal until after the weekend, clearing the way for the students to run.

“We just wanted the opportunity to compete,” Mather cross-country coach Joe Sullivan said. “We felt like with the way cross-country works we deserved a chance at the sectional and we showed that with our legs.”

“We remain respectful to the courts and will continue to follow the timeline they set forth. We are excited that the spotlight can now return where it belongs, on the student-athletes,” IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said.

It’s been a dramatic few weeks, but Sullivan says his runners have taken things in stride.

“They handled it pretty well,” Sullivan said. “We took the attitude that it is out of our control so we wouldn’t worry about it. We finished in the top five at [the Fenton sectional] so we deserved to run at state. We prepared this week like we were going to run and now we got the good news.”

Mather’s boys finished fourth in the Class 2A Fenton Sectional to qualify for state for the third consecutive season.

Taft’s Sydney Partyka advanced as an individual from the 3A Lake Park Sectional. Also qualifying for state on the girls side were Solorio teammates Kaylani Esteban and Jasmine Reyes, Northside’s Elia Ton-That and Payton’s Josephine Dziedzic in 2A.

Other Public League boys advancing were Jones’ Anthony Maida, Ryan DeSantis and Aaron Hou in 3A; and Alcott’s Tony Delira, Payton’s Zach Rose, Amundsen’s Nelson Gates and Solorio’s Miguel Cordova in 2A.

Cook County Judge Neil H. Cohen ruled Friday that all CPS cross-country teams should be allowed to run in the sectionals. The teams competed and 13 runners and Mather’s cross-country team advanced to the state finals.

The IHSA filed an appeal Monday hoping to reverse the judge’s decision.

CPS cross-country teams were removed from the state series due to the Chicago Teachers Union strike. They missed the regional round but were placed in the sectionals after the judge’s decision.

IHSA rules prohibit teams from competing in the postseason if the state series begins while the district is on strike. Cohen called the policy vague.

“I’m tired of adults making decisions that rob children of their childhood and their dreams,” Cohen said. “It isn’t going to hurt the IHSA to let these kids run.”

Chicago Public Schools Chief Education Officer LaTanya D. McDade sent a letter to Anderson and the IHSA on Thursday. The full text is below.

Executive Director Anderson,

I write to express Chicago Public Schools’ support for the student athletes who are competing in the upcoming IHSA Cross Country State Championship and to request that you permit them to continue in the current competition and receive whatever rewards their performance deserves.

Chicago Public Schools has a great respect for the IHSA and its work on behalf of student athletes. We have the shared mission to cultivate and deepen relationships, foster leadership skills and provide meaningful experiences that enrich our students for a lifetime. IHSA events often bring out the best in our students and strengthen and unite communities.

We are in a unique circumstance here. The Chicago Teachers’ Union and SEIU strikes, and their regrettable timing, were not of the students’ making. These students should not suffer adverse consequences for adult actions that they did not cause and could not prevent. The CPS student athletes who have advanced to the State Finals did so based on excellent performance. That performance should be recognized by allowing them to continue to compete.

We understand that the IHSA, like CPS, does not want to cause any further frustration or disappointment to any students. The IHSA constitution and by-laws gives you great discretion in this matter so that you can ensure that our student athletes are treated fairly and their performance appropriately recognized. Therefore, we respectfully ask that irrespective of any court decision, that the IHSA allow the CPS student runners to continue to compete and that you commit that no student or team will be disqualified or otherwise deprived of successes earned by their performance in the competition.

We appreciate your consideration and look forward to your favorable action on this request.