AnOpenLettertotheHighSchoolPrincipalsofLouisiana,

Forthelasttwoplusmonths,Ihavechastisedmyselfinternallyoftenfornotbeingevenmorevocalinthe
interimbeforethemostrecentLouisianaHighSchoolAthleticAssociationConventioninJanuaryconcerning
fortheoverallhealthoftheLHSAAandhighschoolsportsingeneralinthestateofLouisiana.Since2010,I
havebeenamemberoftheLHSAAExecutiveCommitteeandservedasPresidentoftheLHSAAfrom2013
2014.IcurrentlyserveasthePastPresidentoftheLHSAAandwillendmytermontheExecutiveCommittee
inJanuary2017.
DuringmytenureontheExecutiveCommittee,Ihaveseenmany,manyissuesthathavebeendebatedwithin
ourassociation.Duringthistimewehavecontendedwithlawsuits,legislation,achangeinleadership,
financialstruggles,andIcouldcontinue.Wehavehadtocontendwithanalmostconstantturnoverofhigh
schoolprincipalsinlargepercentageswithintheassociationeveryyear.Butthemostheateddebatehas
centeredontheissueofpublicvs.private,orasitismorecommonlyknownnowasselectvs.nonselect.I,
likemanyofyou,havetriedtowrapmyarmsaroundthiswholedebateandcometoaplaceoraplanwith
whichwecouldalllive.AsaprincipalatthetimeoftheJanuary2013vote,Ireluctantlyvotedinfavorofthe
splitplaninfootballinhopesthatthisactionwouldonceandforallendthelongdebateovertheissue.
However,asIassumedthepresidencyimmediatelyafterthisvote,Iveryquicklyrealizedthatthisdecisionby
theassociationhadplacedtheLHSAAonaselfdestructivecourse.
AlthoughIamalifelongresidentofLouisianaandformerLouisianahistoryteacher,Iquicklyfoundoutthat
evenIdidnotfullyunderstandthegreateducationalandculturaldiversityofthestate.Tolearnmore,Isat
outtovisitschoolsandcommunitiesalloverthestatetogetabetterfeeloftheissuethathadsuddenly
createdsuchanoutpouringofemotionsacrossourstate.ManyoftheconversationsthatIhavehadacross
thestatehavefurthercementedmanyofthethingsthatIalreadyknewabouttheissue.However,whatI
quicklylearnedwasthetremendousmisunderstandingthatareasfromalloverthestatehadaboutone
another.Wehavealwaysheardthattherewerephilosophicaldifferencesineducational,andsometimes
cultural,philosophiesbetweenthenorthernandsouthernpartsofthestate.Mytravelsconfirmedsuch
beliefs,butIalsolearnedthattherewerealsotremendousdifferencesineducationalthinkingbetweennorth
andsouth,ruralvs.urban,NewOrleansvs.theremainderofthestate,southeastvs.southwest,southeastvs.
northwest,andsoon.Ithinkyougetmypoint.
IalsorealizedthatthemultipleeducationaloptionsnowavailabletoLouisianafamilieshavenotonlychanged
theeducationallandscapeinLouisiana,buthavefundamentallychangedtheLHSAAaswell.WhentheLHSAA
Constitutionwascraftedin1920,ourstatedidnothavevouchers,charters,M&Mtransfers,schoolchoice,
accountabilitylabels,andthemanyotherprograms/policiesthatallowforstudentmobility.Theseconcepts
havefurthercreatedauniquenessthathasaddedtothealreadytremendousdiversityinourstate.
WiththeresultofthismeltingpotofdiversityandeducationaloptionsnowpresentinLouisiana,Iam
convincedthatweasastatedonotknoworunderstandourfellowLouisianansinrelationtoeducationand
manyofourotherculturalissues.Personsonthisdebatehaveheartfeltfeelingsonwhytheyfeeltheir
viewpointsandbeliefsarecorrect.Inmanyinstancesbothsideshaveequallystrongarguments.NonSelect
schoolsandsupportersfeelthattheycannotcontrolenrollmentnumbersbychoosingwhotheyenrollordo

notenrollintotheirschools.NonSelectSchoolsalsofeelthatitisunfairforthemtobeconfined,manytimes
byfederalcourtorders,todefinedattendancezonesfrominwhichtheyareallowedtodrawstudents.
Ironically,theaforementionednewstateprogramsandpolicieshavecreatedanenvironmentwhereNon
SelectSchoolshaveanopportunitytolegallyselecttheirstudentsaswellwhilemaintainingNonSelect
status.Inotherinstances,thereareNonSelectSchoolsthat,forexample,aretheonlyschoolofferingfootball
intheirparticularparishes;suchasituationallowsstudentsfromallovertheirparishtheopportunityto
selecttogotoadifferentschoolwheretheycouldparticipateinfootball.SelectSchoolscontendthat
studentsattendtheirschoolsforcultural,academic,andreligiousreasons.SelectSchoolsfeeltheirstudents
havetherighttomakethatchoicebyconstitutionallawandshouldnotbepunishedorsegregatedwhenthat
decisionismade.
Throughmyexperiencesasastudentathlete,coach,principal,andoverthelastnearlysevenyearsasa
memberoftheLHSAAExecutiveCommittee,IthinkthatIhaveabetterunderstandingofbothschoolsof
thought.InJanuary2015,IaddressedtheLHSAAConventionasIsteppedawayfromtheLHSAApresidency
andremindedourprincipalsofhowthisassociationhasimpactedmylifeandthelivesofsomanyofour
principals,coaches,teachers,studentsandcommunities.ImyselfamaproductoftheLHSAA.Ialsoreminded
ourprincipalsofthepurposeoftheLHSAAasstatedinArticle2oftheLHSAAConstitution:
ThisAssociationisorganizedexclusivelyforcharitable,religious,educational,andscientificpurposes,includingforsuch
purposesasthemakingofdistributionstoorganizationsthatqualifyasexemptorganizationsundersection501(c)(3)ofthe
InternalRevenueCode,orthecorrespondingsectionofanyfuturefederaltaxcode,andincludingthefollowing:
1.Topromote,regulate,anddirecttheinterscholasticathleticactivitiesofLouisianahighschoolsthatare
membersoftheAssociation.
2.Toassist,advise,andaidschoolsinorganizingandconductinginterscholasticsports.
3.ToprotectmembersoftheAssociationbypreparingandenforcingeligibilityrulesthatwillequalizeand
stimulatewholesomecompetition.
4.Topreventtheexploitationofmemberschoolsprogramsbyspecialinterestgroups.
5.Topreservethegamefortheboysandgirlsandnotsacrificetheboysandgirlstothegame.
6.Topromotethespiritofsportsmanshipandfairplayinallathleticcontests.
7.Anyotheractivity,whichislegalfora501(c)(3)organizationtodo.

Ithinkitisimportanttopaycloseattentiontoallofthesepurposesbutspecificallytoitems5and6.Our
purposehasalwaysbeenandshouldalwaysbetopreservethegameforourstudentsandtopreservethe
principlesandvaluesthatcompetitionteachesouryoungpeople.Ineverhadtheprivilegeofplayingona
statechampionshipteamatmyalmamaterSicilyIslandHighSchool.ButthelifelonglessonsthatIlearnedon
thoseteamsatthatsmallschoolinruralCatahoulaParisharelessonsthatIhavetakenwithmethroughout
mylifeandthatIhopethatIhavepassedontomystudentsandmyownkids.Highschoolathleticsisnot
abouteveryonewinningapieceofwood,asithasbeensaidofthenownumerouschampionshipsthatweare
settoofferinthecomingyear.Itshouldbeaboutteachinglessonsthatwillhelpsustainourkidsasthey
navigateinthisdifficultworld.
IwatchedtheHouseEducationCommitteeonMarch23rdhearseveralbillsthatcamebeforethem.Theywere
quicklydiscussed,votedon,andmovedthroughthelegislativeprocess.IthensawHouseBill863,byRep.Kirk

Talbot,beintroducedtotheHouseEducationCommittee.Thisbill,oneofseveralpossiblebillsthatcouldbe
aimedattheLHSAAandhighschoolathleticsduringthissession,wouldbasicallyforceschoolstoplayina
unifiedathleticassociationorrisklosingtheirpublicfunds.Whatproceededwasalengthydebateover
athleticsandgovernmentinvolvement.EvenintheLegislature,athleticsdrawsfarmorediscussionthanthe
otheressentialbillsthataffecttheeducationalsuccessofourkids.WhatIalsorealizedbyobservingthis
hearinginMarchandsittingthroughmanyothersoverthelastseveralyears,isthatthereisnoconsensusin
thestatelegislatureeither.WhatIdidhearloudlyandclearlyfrombothsidesinthelegislature,however,was
thattheLHSAAshouldfindawaytoworkthisissueoutsothattheLegislaturedoesnothavetoactto
determinetheoutcomeforLouisianahighschools.
Unfortunately,someofmycolleaguessayletthempulloutorthelegislaturewontgetinvolved.Well,the
legislaturehasproventhroughthisbillandothersinthepastthattheywillgetinvolvedinthebusinessof
highschoolathleticsinourstate.Ihavereadandheardofthenewlyproposedathleticcooperativethatis
beingconsideredbysomeschoolsasanalternativetotheLHSAAorwhatsomehavecalledtheletthempull
outplan.Personally,Idonotseeanythinggoodresultingfromasituationwherethisstatehastwo
competitiveathleticassociations.Suchanendwouldonlyfurtherdividethestateandcauseschoolsinthe
StateofLouisianawithstudentathletestosuffersufferingfromissuesofadults.Iseenoavenuewhereeither
proposalwillorcanbesuccessfuloverthelonghaulfromacompetitionstandpointorafinancialstandpoint.
TheLHSAAandhighschoolathleticsinLouisianaisatacrossroads.Moreimportantly,ourchildrensfutures
relatedtothelessonsthatcompetitivehighschoolathleticscontributestosuccessfuldevelopmentisata
crossroads.WeareagainfacedwithfurtherseparationthatIpersonallyfeelisnotgoodfortheLHSAAorthe
proposedcooperativeonmanylevels.Weareagainfacedwithlegislativeintervention,whichasamemberof
thisassociationformanyyears,Iwouldhatetosee.For96years,theLHSAAhasoverseencompetitive
athleticsinLouisiana.Iwouldhatetoseethatgreat,richhistorybethrownoutortornapartbecausewe
absolutelyrefusetoputourstudentathletesfirst.
Therewillbemanyofmycolleaguesandindividualswhowilllookatthisletterunfavorably.Theywillsaythat
IamcavingtolegislativepressureorthatIamcavingtomyselectschoolfriendseventhoughIamapublic
educator.Thisthinkingagainshowsthegreatdivideandthelackofdesiretoreachingconsensus.Manywill
electtocontinuetocomplainandoffernosolutions.IunderstandthatandIampreparedfortheircriticisms.
However,Ilookatthisletterdifferently.IlookatitascavingintothelessonsthatIwastaughtbymyparents
tostandupfortheoneswhocantstandupforthemselves.Ilookatitasstandingupforthestudentathletes
ofLouisianawhoarestuckinthemiddleofquarrelingadultswhohavelostsightofthemissionoftheLHSAA
andcompetitiveathletics.Ilookatitasstandingupforkidsandtryingtomakesurethattheyhavethesame
opportunitiesthatIdidtolearnthevaluablelifelessonsandskillsthathighschoolathleticsoffers.Selfishly,I
also,throughthisletter,wanttomakesurethatItakeastrongerstandfortheLHSAAandforthestudentsof
ourstate,unlikeIfeelIdidpriortoourJanuaryconvention.
TheLHSAAExecutiveCommitteeconvenesagainonApril14thinBatonRouge.Rep.Talbothasgraciously
agreedtoholdhisbilluntilafterourmeeting.Ihavenoideawhatwillcomeoutofourmeetings,butIdo

hopethatwecancometothetableandproduceaplanofactionthatwillbebeneficialtothestudentathletes
ofLouisianaandmakeitpossiblefortheLHSAAtoseeits100thanniversary.
IchallengeallmemberschoolprincipalsoftheLHSAAtosetasidetheirdifferencesandlookfor
COMPROMISE.Compromiseisdefinedasanagreementorasettlementofadisputethatisreachedbyeach
sidemakingconcessions.Becauseyousee,BOTHsideshavetogiveandtakeinordertoreachanagreement.
Compromisewontbeeasy.Iftherewereaneasysolutiontothisproblem,wewouldhavealreadyfoundit.
Hopefully,betweennowandApril14th,memberschoolprincipals,theLHSAASchoolRelationsCommitteeand
theLHSAAExecutiveCommitteecancollectivelyformulateorderiveaplantosavehighschoolathleticsin
Louisianaasweknowit.Godhelpusifwecant.
ToddGuice
LHSAAPastPresident