Harrisburg super hopes to address "IHSA concerns"

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Yes, Harrisburg Unit 3 Superintendent Dennis Smith sent a letter to 188 southern schools calling for a meeting to discuss concerns with some practices of the Illinois High School Association.

But, no, the main point of the meeting is not to discuss seceding from the IHSA, he said.

"All I want is to have a meeting with superintendents to discuss some concerns I have," Smith said Thursday. "I am taken aback by all the attention this has gotten."

Internet chatboards were full of speculation about the letter on Wednesday.

The letter invites District Superintendents and any athletic director, coach, board of education members, or other individuals the superintendent deems appropriate to attend a meeting that will be held at Marion High School at 9 a.m. on January 14.

Those who attend will have the opportunity to share any concerns or questions they might have about IHSA procedures.

"There were two or three things this Fall that I had my eye on," Smith said. "The final straw was some of the licensing laws. When we held a sectional volleyball tournament, we couldn't use local publishers to make the program, it had to be done by the sanctioned company the IHSA uses.

"I had a local businessman call me irate after he was called on to buy an ad," he said. "He thought they were calling on my behalf. I have three or four things I want to talk about. I just wonder if everyone else is having the same problems."

Smith said the letter has gotten a lot of attention.

"It certainly has," he said. "But all I want is to have a meeting and talk about these things. I didn't think a letter from a small school superintendent would be such a big deal."

The IHSA released a statement in response to Smith's letter, which was written on November 24.

"The unfortunate part of this situation is that Mr. Smith has not communicated his concerns to the IHSA staff," said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman, in the release. "If the concerns are substantial, it only seems reasonable that a first step would be to give the organization an opportunity to respond to any concerns. To be candid, I believe that the vast majority of our school administrators would extend us that courtesy."

The IHSA recently concluded its by-law amendment process and did not receive any proposals for changes from Harrisburg High School, the release said.

"We are also disappointed that no IHSA staff members have been invited to this meeting and, further, that the letter strictly prohibits any IHSA official in attendance to speak," added Hickman. "Our staff members frequently attend meetings at the request of superintendents, principals, athletic directors and conference officials. We wish we would have received a similar request from Harrisburg prior to this letter going out that would have allowed us to address some of their concerns and the process for change within our Association."

Smith said he thinks there will certainly be representation from the IHSA at the meeting and that they would be allowed to speak.

"They can voice their opinions just like anyone else," he said. "I just don't want them speaking as officials of the IHSA, just as people at the meeting."

Smith said that scheduling of games and playoff positioning is not the basis of his concerns.

"I'm not a sports guy," he said. "I'm not looking to be a sports guru, I was a high school band director. But I have to be concerned with some of the things that are happening.

"The IHSA is not the NCAA, the IHSA is us," he continued. "They are a cooperative of high schools and some things that are happening are affecting my district's budget and I have no say about it. My concern is do we have a concern? The meeting will tell us if anyone else is concerned about the direction things are moving in.

"If no one shows up, I'll just go home," he said. "But I feel a responsibility to do this."

true