Thread: ILL: H. S. Basketball Team Cancels Az Trip- Going to FLA

Should schools cancel sports trips to Arizona over the immigration law?Yes. Sometimes you have to take a stand against injustice.

64.99%

No. High school sports shouldn't be used for political protest.

35.01%

Come on folks, we need to get involved in this poll. Please vote here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/1 ... 73713.html

Do they have illegal invaders playing on the team? Why elese would they penalize an entire team based upon a law that mirrors existing fed law.

Originally Posted by NoBueno

Do they have illegal invaders playing on the team? Why elese would they penalize an entire team based upon a law that mirrors existing fed law.

This isn't about the team, it's about the political agenda of the school faculty.

Originally Posted by MW

Originally Posted by NoBueno

Do they have illegal invaders playing on the team? Why elese would they penalize an entire team based upon a law that mirrors existing fed law.

This isn't about the team, it's about the political agenda of the school faculty.

Ditto that MW! Once again, the kids suffer!

the poll lopsided toward the liberal view!! WTF?

Yes, it is the kids that will suffer, not Arizona. Unbelievable what is going on. Think I heard that none of the girl's are illegals so that isn't it, it is all political. Guess the girls are getting a political lesson eh?

Originally Posted by 93camaro

the poll lopsided toward the liberal view!! V****V?

Of course, it's the huffies.

Should schools cancel sports trips to Arizona over the immigration law?Yes. Sometimes you have to take a stand against injustice.

66.09%

No. High school sports shouldn't be used for political protest.

33.91%

The huffies are out in full force on this one.....

Should schools cancel sports trips to Arizona over the immigration law?Yes. Sometimes you have to take a stand against injustice.

66.73%

No. High school sports shouldn't be used for political protest.

33.27%

Canceled Arizona trip raises heat in Highland Park
Fans, foes of decision sound off at school board meeting

By Lisa Black, Tribune reporter

10:17 p.m. CDT, May 17, 2010


Highland Park High School's decision to cancel a girls' basketball trip to Arizona because of the state's crackdown on illegal immigrants was described as a "shame" by some and a method of "boycotting intolerance" by others at a school board meeting Monday.

There was no indication that school officials had second thoughts, and they confirmed that the team would travel to a tournament in Florida instead.

Bonnie Shlensky, president of the Township High School District 113 board, read a statement before the public comments began, saying the board supports the high school's administration. But board members also said they would seek to improve their procedures to bring in more parents' and students' input into school trip issues.

More than 200 people attended the board meeting at Deerfield High School. Several audience members spoke in support of the trip cancellation.

"I have never been prouder to be a student in District 113," student Azza Cohen said. "I think this is an issue of human rights. I am more deeply disappointed on the attacks on this administration that are unjustified. … I absolutely support the administration in boycotting intolerance."

But disapproval was voiced by others, such as Gene Apathy, a retired World War II vet who lives outside the district in Evanston. He said he felt strongly the team should be allowed to travel to Arizona. He said the state "has every right to protect their borders. … They have worked so hard and have practiced and would have the time of their life. It's a shame it came down to this."

And while Arizona has faced boycotts over its immigration crackdown, Apathy said he plans to boycott Highland Park.

"I spend a lot of time and money here (in Highland Park), but I won't anymore," he said.

The statement read by Shlensky said:

"The safeguarding of equal rights for all of our students has long been a core value of our district. It is too early to tell whether the law recently instituted by Arizona will result in racial profiling. ... This decision in no way represents a political decision — rather, the decision was based solely on the concerns that a new state law in Arizona, yet untested, may have the effect of subjecting some of our students to unwarranted scrutiny."

Though the crowd remained civil, groups of people on both sides of the issue got into heated discussions outside the meeting room.

Others, though, like Highland Park High senior John Gonzalez, 18, said the whole matter has been blown out of proportion.

"I feel it should have been taken up with the parents and athletes," he said before the meeting. "They are the ones taking the risk."

Among those supporting the school district's decision were members of the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs. "No matter how one feels about the new law in Arizona, no one really knows how it will be enforced," Rabbi Bruce Elder, of Highland Park, wrote in a message to members. "This is, therefore, a safety issue and not a political statement."

Varsity basketball players had been raising money to participate in a basketball tournament in Scottsdale, Ariz., in late December. But last week, Superintendent George Fornero and fellow administrators rejected the team's request, with an assistant superintendent initially stating that the trip "would not be aligned with our beliefs and values."

After several parents asked whether the students were being used to make a political statement opposing the Arizona law, Fornero released a letter sent to parents that emphasized safety concerns.

"When our students travel, the school district is responsible, both legally and ethically, for their safety, security and liberty. We cannot commit at this time to playing at a venue where some of our students' safety or liberty might be placed at risk because of state immigration law," he wrote.

The controversy became national news after former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, at an appearance last week in Rosemont, accused the school district of using the students as political pawns and urged team members to "go rogue, girls."

The district, which has sent students to China and Peru in recent years, includes a large Hispanic community in Highwood. Most Highwood students attend Highland Park High School, where 15 percent of enrollment is Hispanic and 80 percent is white, according to state data.

"Since undocumented students may be participating on any of our extracurricular teams, we need to ensure that all of our students can travel safely, especially in the United States," Suzan Hebson, assistant superintendent, wrote in an e-mail Thursday.

Hebson said Arizona is off-limits because of uncertainty about how the new law will be enforced. The law, which takes effect in July, will allow police who make a "lawful stop, detention or arrest" to attempt to determine the immigration status of the person detained "where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien and is unlawfully present in the United States."

Hebson has said she does not know if anyone associated with this year's team is undocumented. The district does not yet know the makeup of its varsity team next fall.

Some parents and athletes have questioned why they were not involved in the decision-making process.

One Tucson businessman offered to pay for the team's transportation, hotel and meals to play in the Scottsdale tournament.

Fornero and school board members have not responded to calls or e-mails.

www.chicagotribune.com