TSSAA Lawsuit

[westtnman]

Asitis: Ronnie Carter has made clear over many years his opposition to a "split" of public and private schools as well as his opposition to classifying schools into Division I and Division II. But that classification decision was made by the TSSAA Legislative Council. As Executive Director, Ronnie Carter is obliged to follow the rules established by the Legislative Council as well as the enforcement decisions made by the Board of Control -- just as the CEO of a corporation is obliged to follow the policies and directives of the corporation's board of directors.

 

My comments about costs and logistical issues had to do with your suggestion that private schools might form their own association. TSSAA does more than just adopt and enforce rules. TSSAA obtains catastrophic insurance for kids at all the member schools, and by spreading those costs over the kids from so many schools, it obtains a more competitive premium than a smaller association could get for the same coverage. TSSAA provides training for officials, a system for registration of officials, a playoff system, coaches' education programs, and a number of other resources for member schools. TSSAA employs a staff of people to handle all the various responsibilities that are entailed in operating the association. If a group of private schools decided to leave TSSAA and form their own association, they would be faced with the prospect of duplicating the services of TSSAA that they would be abandoning, without the ability to spread that cost over almost 400 schools as TSSAA does now.

 

As for your comment that it is all about money, TSSAA is a not-for-profit corporation. It generates revenues through some of its playoff events and through advertising contracts. A very small percentage of the TSSAA revenues come from membership fees from the schools. Many of the playoff events operate at a net financial loss. Where profits are made, after the administrative costs of TSSAA and the costs of the services it provides (such as catastrophic insurance) are covered, the rest goes back to the member schools.

 

These are the things I was talking about in my response to your earlier post.

 

 

 

This is very interesting and informative...Thank you. Can you please elaborate on exactly what the "catastrophic insurance" covers. For example, does this cover sports injuries to member schools players (surgeries for ACL's for example). Is this only for non-insured players or all players? If a player is insured, does it cover deductible or is it based on "ability to pay" ? As a parent with athlete entering high school, I was just interested in this.

[Antwan]

In my latest Carter bashing session to several of the area coaches....they expressed basically the same thoughts as yourself. Myself, being a private supporter, would have to question the motivation RC has for not booting the privates all together. If booting consist of Privates in one division and Publics in another, then I would have to say "no thanks" to Mr. Carter's efforts and challenge to Private powers to get out on their own since it is obvious they are not wanted. The fear of the separating the two and the privates leaving the TSSAA all together, is the only rational motivation I can come up with. Yes folks..it is and always will be.....$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

 

 

Heck...why not get BA to pay your insurance and operating costs? They...evidently...have millions to waste. /biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

[rick7425]

This is very interesting and informative...Thank you. Can you please elaborate on exactly what the "catastrophic insurance" covers. For example, does this cover sports injuries to member schools players (surgeries for ACL's for example). Is this only for non-insured players or all players? If a player is insured, does it cover deductible or is it based on "ability to pay" ? As a parent with athlete entering high school, I was just interested in this.

 

I don't know all there is to know about catastrophic insurance. I'm not sure how the coverage defines what qualifies as a "catastrophic injury," how much the medical expenses must be for it to kick in, or those sorts of policy details. I do know that the premium for this coverage is the largest single expense that TSSAA pays each year, and I also know that the coverage is for all players. The administrators at your child's high school should be able to provide more information about the program. If they are not familiar with the program, they should be, and they can easily get information about it from TSSAA.

[muffin]

Bump.

[soccerpro1]

I think your last sentence is a ridiculous statement. I think the number one priority is to devise a class system that is as fair as possible to all involved. I would think most have that motive. I do agree that Carter has tried to do just that. He has an impossible job of trying to appease everyone. If you don't have one class for all...one could always argue anything else is watered down.

 

 

 

I see your point. Let me rephrase mine, "...as their number one priority winning a championship no matter the quaility of competition even if it means watering down high school athletics ". I do agree, RC has an impossible job of trying to appease everyone.

I only have one data point I can cite but he is a current BOC member who is a principal at a small rural school and believes every private school is rich, cheats and has as part of its mission statement the domination of public schools. Other than that fantasy, he's a great guy I've known all my life and attended a private school with many moons ago. But talking high school athletics with him is worse than talking politics. He's equally irrational on that point too. He's sure that every Republican is rich, cheats and has as his mission statement the domination of every Democrat.

[Antwan]

I see your point. Let me rephrase mine, "...as their number one priority winning a championship no matter the quaility of competition even if it means watering down high school athletics ". I do agree, RC has an impossible job of trying to appease everyone.

I only have one data point I can cite but he is a current BOC member who is a principal at a small rural school and believes every private school is rich, cheats and has as part of its mission statement the domination of public schools. Other than that fantasy, he's a great guy I've known all my life and attended a private school with many moons ago. But talking high school athletics with him is worse than talking politics. He's equally irrational on that point too. He's sure that every Republican is rich, cheats and has as his mission statement the domination of every Democrat.

 

 

Also...you have some that are for a system that is fair for the majority in their class. I am not necessarily for a system that is best for my own school. I am for a system that creates the most equality in that system from top to bottom. Granted...there probably is no such system.

 

As for your friend...there are also some that are not as narrow minded on the BOC. If they were all like your friend...you would be complaining about being in DII. /biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

[fromthetop2]

As a long time observer of this situation, I really think the issue that clouds everything is inequality of resources, coupled with some myopic views that color the ability to see the larger picture.

 

Too many administrators, school officials, and coaches tend to think that their particular competitive situation is the "norm" and true for all, and must be addressed above all others.

 

The facts as I see it are:

- Some public schools are not affected athletically at all by private schools

- Some public schools are affected tremendously by private schools

- Not all public or private schools place the same emphasis on athletics, or a particular sport

- Not all private schools are giving scholarships or financial aid to prospective athetes, but those that do uniformly place a heavy emphasis on athletics

- Public schools have a wide swath of policies concerning transfers or open zones. What is defined as open zoned in one county or school system does not have the same definition in another

- Some public schools are very liberal on these matters, some are very restrictive

- Private schools each define "recruiting" differently, with some targeting athletes, while virtually all have to do some form of recruiting of students to fill their rolls

-Public school systems define "recruiting" differently as well. What is "winked at" in one system, in another the same activity would get people fired immediatly.

 

Now, the biggest differences in the systems, IMO:

 

- Some public schools are very well off financially, most are not. Private schools have much easier access to funding, and do not have to disclose this resource. Tuition increases are easier to pass than tax increases.

- Public and private schools all have different rules for hiring and paying coaches. Some public schools contend the head coach must be a teacher or have a teaching certificate, others aren't as restrictive. Generally, private schools are not burdened by this restricition. Private school coaching salaries are not subject to any sunshine laws, public schools have to be more open. Generally, private school coaches are better paid than their public counterparts.

-Supplements for all systems come from well-healed booster clubs or individuals. The deeper the pockets, the better the situation.

 

Summary: No one set of rules can apply to all. With that reality, this cobbled together system, while cumbersome, allows each school or system to function as they want- and to provide an athletic structure that most find comfortable .

[KCHSCoach]

Yea all those public school heads are going to vote to put a private head on the BOC, give me a break

[rick7425]

Yea all those public school heads are going to vote to put a private head on the BOC, give me a break

 

They have done it before.

[Bighurt]

They have done it before.

 

I know you are knowledgeable on the subject. When was this?

[rick7425]

I know you are knowledgeable on the subject. When was this?

 

My understanding is that there have been only a handful of occasions when a private school head has run for a position on the Board of Control or the Legislative Council, and that they have won about half of those elections. This does not include Steve Harris, the upper school principal at Franklin Road Academy who currently is a member of the Legislative Council. He was the principal at Antioch High School when he was first elected to the Council, but he was re-elected after he retired from the Metro schools and took the job at FRA. No other private school head besides Steve Harris has sought election to either the Board or the Council in recent years.

[BuckLateral]

The Tennessean is reporting this morning that the long life of this lawsuit is officially over. BA chose not to appeal the July 18 decision by the US District Court. BA had until 11:59 p.m. Monday to appeal. The news brief attributes the following quote to TSSAA attorney Rick Colbert: "All proceedings and litigation are over".

 

Some of you guys are going to have a whole lot of extra time on your hands now. What will you do?