Photo: Bill Shaw / WFIU News
The IHSAA will hold five meetings to find out how parents feel about non-traditional students playing sports for their local schools.
The Indiana High School Athletic Association is holding a series of town meeting series to gauge public opinion on allowing “non-traditional students” to participate in IHSAA member athletics.
Currently, 27 states, including Indiana, do not allow non-traditional students – those who are home schooled or attend non-accredited and virtual schools to compete in interscholastic athletics at home district schools. There are 21 states that do, and two others leave it to the school districts to decide.
IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox thinks that students should be held to certain academic standards to be allowed to compete in state-sanctioned athletics.
“Currently, in the state of Indiana, home-schooled students have virtually no accountability with the Department of Education,” Cox says.
Cox says he worries allowing non-traditional students to play could create an unequal playing field.
The remaining five town meetings will be held inside Indiana high schools:
Dec. 12 at Muncie Central
Jan. 9 at Seymour
Jan. 10 at Valparaiso
Jan. 17 at Evansville Central
Jan. 23 at Jimtown
