To: Superintendents, Principals, and Athletics Directors
From: Jerome Singleton, Commissioner
SC High School League
Subject: Senate Bill 149
Date: April 30, 2012
Greetings:
This correspondence is sent to inform you of a Bill (S.149) that has passed the Senate last week and is now in the House.
The Bill, if passed, will permit home-schooled, charter-schooled; and Governor�s School students to participate in athletics at the member public school in the attendance zone of his/her residence, provided the sport is not offered at the school (home-school, charter-school, and/or Governor�s School) he/she attends.
While the Bill itself presents many challenges for our member schools as it relates to home-schooled students, the challenges are more pronounced as it relate to the member charter schools and Governor�s Schools students
The Bill provides advantages to those students (charter-school and Governor�s School) that do not exist for students of single school districts. While the students of member charter-schools and Governor�s Schools have an option to play sports not offered at his/her school at another school, students attending member school districts have no option. Both are member schools of the South Carolina High School League. Unfortunately, the Bill (S.149) is in conflict with the League�s Constitution. The League�s Constitution sets standards that apply to all member schools and it consistently enforces. Nonetheless, the law (if the Bill is passed) trumps the League�s Constitution.
If the Bill passes the House, it will be sent to the Governor�s desk to be signed into law. You may challenge the Bill by contacting your local House of Representative to express your concern(s).
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
