Legislative Republicans made a point Monday when they noted that the state Department of Health had failed to produce data supporting Gov. Tom Wolf’s recommendation to suspend fall high school sports because of the COVID-19 crisis.
The administration has relied on data for other aspects of its emergency management, including business shutdowns and restrictions and recommendations for reopening schools.
But it’s hardly surprising that the administration didn’t come up with data on fall sports, because such data does not yet exist. Unfortunately, the state government and school districts are playing partially by feel rather than experience, trying to apply data from other aspects of the crisis to the prospects for fall sports.
The situation is dicier for high schools than even for college sports. The Big Ten and PAC-12 canceled or, at least, postponed their fall seasons at the costs of hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, even though their member universities have far more resources on hand to protect athletes than does the typical Pennsylvania school district.
And given the extraordinary protective measures taken by 500 school districts to protect students, faculty and staff — ranging from physical building alterations to limiting instruction to online — it’s difficult to justify authorizing some students to play contact sports. That clearly increases the risk of infection, as some college football programs quickly have discovered, and therefore the risk of athletes spreading the virus among other students.
But as long as the administration must play by feel, it should recognize that there is a significant difference between sports such as soccer and football — in which contact is integral to the game — and noncontact sports such as golf, cross-country and tennis.
The governor’s stance is a recommendation rather than an edict, but it is well-founded based on what is known about other aspects of the coronavirus’ spread. Local school districts and leagues that choose to play contact sports should be prepared to explain how it will be safe within that context.
— Republican & Herald, Pottsville (TNS)
