Dear Putnam Valley Community,
The Putnam Valley School District is joining districts across the region and asking for your help on an issue that directly affects fairness for our student-athletes and all public school student-athletes across New York. The current system for section and regional play is completely unfair to public school student-athletes.
After three years of advocacy by the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents, an organization of which I currently serve as the President-Elect, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association continues to fail to act on a proposal for separate postseason competition for public and non-public schools. Non-public programs draw students from broad geographic regions, and in some cases beyond state lines, to assemble their teams, an advantage that fundamentally alters fairness and competitive balance.
The consequences are visible statewide: public schools withdrawing from competition, state championship games without public schools on the field, and students asked to compete under rules that do not give them a fair opportunity.
We have included a link to an editorial recently submitted on behalf of the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents. Student-athletes should never have to enter a competition knowing the system is structured against them. The editorial is a two-minute read: Syracuse.com editorial
Make your voice heard. Please use the link below, hosted by the Harrison Central School District, to send a letter requesting that New York State Education Department Commissioner Rosa and the Board of Regents assume direct oversight of interscholastic athletics in New York State to ensure fairness for all public school students. Forward this email to friends and family across New York State; anyone can use the page to send a letter.
Thank you for your support of public school student-athletes.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools
Putnam Valley Central School District
President-Elect
Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents