D-205 Confusion Over Sports 'Contact' Days

ELMHURST, IL — More than a week ago, parents of York High School's football and lacrosse players got notice that "contact" days were on hold. So at last week's school board meeting, at least eight parents submitted written comments to the board asking why that was the case.

Under Illinois High School Association rules, students on the lacrosse and football get 20 contact days through the end of October. The parents said it was important the players get supervised practices with their teams. They also said they feared other schools would get a head start.

The comments were read out loud at the meeting of the Elmhurst School District 205 board. After the public comment portion of the meeting, board President Kara Caforio said the board would not respond "at this time" to the feedback. "We do address the issues later on," she said. In the case of the questions about contact days, officials did not.

On Monday, Elmhurst Patch asked Beverly Redmond, the district's communications director, about how many contact days had been canceled. Redmond said none of York's were.

"The principals of the West Suburban Conference, of which York is a part, have been deliberating over whether to allow contact days," Redmond said in an email. "Ultimately, York is one of four among the 14 conference schools that is moving forward with them in accordance with IHSA guidelines."

When Patch asked in a follow-up email whether contact days had been delayed at some point, Redmond said, "There was a brief delay while those conference conversations were occurring, which may have led to some temporary confusion and speculation."

At the meeting, parents said they understood the difficulty of decisions related to the pandemic. But they noted they had the choice to sign waivers to let their students take part in contact days.

"I always try to see both sides of an issue, but this one left me with the feeling that our kids were punched in the gut," resident Tara Renier said in her written comments to the board. "Every time they start to let themselves get excited that they can have practices and have purpose to their free time, it's pulled out from under their feet."

Another parent, Lauren Specht, said families didn't get answers about why contact days were on hold for a time, only rumors. She said she received a notice Sept. 3 about contact days being on hold and told her son. She called it "another disappointment."

"When he asked why, I said I did not know," Specht said. "Our kids deserve an explanation."

Redmond, the district official, told Patch that the board followed its practice of not answering questions during public comment.

"The board announces during most if not all meetings that it does not respond immediately during the public comment section," she said.

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