SEATTLE — Parents used the public comment period of Wednesday’s Seattle School Board meeting to raise concerns about the safety of high school football players.
“We know that safety is a concern in this sport. Why would we step backwards and make it a little bit worse? Why would we knowingly do that?” asked Mike Lettinuch, whose son plays football at Lincoln High School.
Safety concerns are why the team’s coach, Aaron Hart, resigned earlier this month.
The issue for parents is that the high school Metro League went from a three-tier division to a two-tier division. Lincoln is now in the upper tier, which includes private schools.
“They both have eight teams in them which is large for a football division,” said Lettinuch. “It's kind of like not a level playing field. I mean, you have teams that are able to legally recruit, and we don’t.”
“Every year they're state, you know right there for state championships, and even nationally ranked in some cases,” said Lettinuch. “Mismatches, gross mismatches we know are not making it safer, and certainly going to make it somewhat worse.”
Seattle Public Schools issued the following statement:
Each day, the Seattle Public Schools (SPS) Athletics Department coordinates with all SPS middle and high schools to provide valuable experiences for student athletes. For all athletes, competitive sports are part of a high school experience that allows them to learn, grow, and thrive. Their safety on and off the fields, courts, and arenas of play is a top priority. The Metro League, a collaborative of athletic directors, school principals, and building leaders, has assured SPS that athlete safety is prioritized and considered in every shared decision as practice and game-scheduling determinations are made. Decisions regarding the current two-tier football structure were made by the Metropolitan Executive Activities Committee. Student athletes from 16 SPS schools, including Lincoln High School, compete in the Metro League. SPS acknowledges the many expressions of concern from the public regarding Lincoln High athletes. The district’s leadership team is reviewing each message. Looking ahead to next season, SPS, the school principal and the school athletic director, will work through any concerns regarding the two-tier football structure.