Michigan must move forward

Published 2:30 pm Wednesday, April 4, 2007

By By SCOTT NOVAK / Edwardsburg Argus
With the Michigan High School Athletic Association's announcement on Monday that the United States Supreme Court will not hear its appeal, the state must now look at maintaining its programs.
John "Jack" Roberts, the MHSAA's executive director, said at a Monday afternoon press conference, the state must pull together and meet the challenge of keeping Michigan near the top when it comes to participation.
Roberts told reporters in East Lansing, and via an Internet broadcast that Michigan ranks near the top of the charts when it comes to participating in both boys 'and girls' sports.
Despite a dwindling economy and population base, the Wolverine state has continued to maximize sports participation.
Michigan ranked fourth nationally in participation by girls, trailing only California, Texas and New York. Volleyball continues to be Michigan's most popular sport and ranks third nationally.
The litigation, brought by Communities for Equity in 1998, claims that by having six girls sports in non-traditional seasons and no boys sports in non-traditional seasons, violates Title IX.
The United States Sixth Circuit Court in Cincinnati, Ohio agreed with Communities for Equity.
Six appeals later, the Supreme Court refused to hear the case, thus ending the litigation.
Michigan must now put its plan into place to switch those six sports beginning with the 2007-08 season.
Roberts was disappointed by the decision.
"(This loss) discourages our membership to feel that when they decide something that they believe is in the best interest of boys and girls, that it can be overturned by the voices of a few and the legal process," he said. "They felt democracy matters. They thought that with good intentions they design programs that are intended to benefit boys and girls, maximize participation, that those policies would prevail, would survive scrutiny."
Unfortunately for the MHSAA and its member schools, the court did not uphold those beliefs.