Clark Cougar Sports

YOUR HELP NEEDED AND REQUESTED

by on May.09, 2011, under Uncategorized

As you may or may not know, private schools are proposing a change to Texas state law allowing private schools (who can recruit and choose their athletes) to compete on the same level as public schools.  The Texas Senate has already passed the law and it now moves to the house.

The Texas High School Coaches Association feels that this gives private schools an overwhelming advantage.  To find out more information and ways to contact your representative, please continue reading.

THSCA LEGISLATIVE ALERT

Private School Bill Has Been Passed by the Senate and Will Now Move to the House for Consideration

We need your help to contact your state representatives to show a strong opposition to opening the U.I.L. membership to private schools!

S.B. 1214, by Patrick and H.B. 2322, by Garza are companion bills relating to allowing participation of private schools in U.I.L. sponsored activities. S.B. 1214 passed out of the Senate last Friday, May 6th and is headed to the House of Representatives. It is of extreme importance for all of our coaches to ­IMMEDIATELY contact their state representative in the House as well as the representatives on the Public Education Committee, the speaker of the House (Joe Straus) and the representatives on the Calendars Committee (see lists below). We also need to get the parents in our communities, as well as friends of athletics and all extra-curricular activities, to help in our efforts to voice opposition to S.B. 1214 and H.B. 2322.

We are asking each of you to use the following bullet points and contact your representatives to express your opposition to both S.B. 1214 and H.B. 2322.

 

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO FRIENDS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL ATHLETICS.
Note we have a hard time reaching many people through the e-mail filters;
please forward this even if you think a colleague may have already received it!

Bullet points in opposition to Private School Membership in all U.I.L. Activities:

  • Private schools must recruit to exist. (Impossible to comply with recruiting rules because recruiting is critical to their very existence.)
  • Private schools do not have to admit all children. (Public schools are required to take all comers; private schools are able to create a select environment.)
  • Private schools do not comply with parent residence boundaries whereas public schools must. (How do you solve the issue of boundaries with private schools?)
  • Academic standards are not mandated by statute, while public schools are heavily regulated.
  • Private schools control the number of students who attend and would control their U.I.L. classification, while a public school cannot. (The smaller the classification the greater the impact of private schools.)
  • Private schools have an unfair competitive advantage in that they have a unique situation — they can establish a select environment.

I am writing to ask for your help!

It is imperative that we contact our State Representatives and strongly oppose opening the U.I.L. membership to private schools.

Many have asked, “What can I do to help”? There are two things you can do.

 

First, you need to contact your State Legislators. We have tried to make it as easy as we can for you. AssistantCoach Systems has donated a website tool to make it easy for anyone in Texas to send emails to their State Representative. We urge you to go to this website now and spend 2 minutes to add your name to the list of those who oppose the legislation. You can get to this tool by clicking HERE!!! This website also allows you to view the bill and it’s impact.

 

You can also act by calling your Representative and/or sending a handwritten note. We have provided a list of the Senate Education Committee and House Committee on Public Education below. You can also click on the links below or visit the THSCA website for a complete list of Representatives and their contact information.

 

Lastly, we need to bring this Legislation to the attention of as many people as we possibly can and encourage them to contact their Legislators. Please forward this email to all friends of high school athletics and encourage them to voice their opinions.

It is critical to act immediately, the quicker that you respond, the better!

Speaker of the House: Joe Straus III (San Antonio) 512/463-1000 joe.straus@house.state.tx.us

House Calendars Committee: For a complete list of Representatives & Contact Info CLICK HERE!

Chair: Rep. Todd Hunter (Corpus Chrisit) 512/463-0672 todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us

Vice Chair: Rep. Dennis Bonnen (Angleton) 512/463-0564 dennis.bonnen@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Dan Branch (Dallas) 512/463-0367 dan.branch@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Garnet Coleman (Houston) 512/463-0524 district147.coleman@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Byron Cook (Corsicana) 512/463-0730 byron.cook@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Charlie Geren (Fort Worth) 512/463-0610 Charlie.Geren@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Jim Keffer (Eastland) 512/463-0656 james.keffer@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Tracy O. King (Batesville) 512/463-0194 district80.king@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Lois W. Kolkhorst (Brenham) 512/463-0600 lois.kolkhorst@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Eddie Lucio III (Brownsville) 512/463-0606 eddie.lucio_iii@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Allan Ritter (Nederland) 512/463-0706 allan.ritter@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Eddie Rodriguez (Austin) 512/463-0674 eddie.rodriguez@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Burt R. Solomons (Carrollton) 512/463-0478 burt.solomons@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Vicki Truitt (Keller) 512/463-0690 vicki.truitt@house.state.tx.us

Rep. John Zerwas (Richmond) 512/463-0657 john.zerwas@house.state.tx.us

 

For a complete list of Representatives & Contact Info CLICK HERE!

Chair: Rep. Rob Eissler (The Woodlands) 512/463-0797 rob.eissler@house.state.tx.us

Vice Chair: Rep. Scott Hochberg (Houston) 512/463-0492 scott.hochberg@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Alma Allen (Houston) 512/463-0744 alma.allen@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock (Killeen) 512/463-0684 jimmie.aycock@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Harold V. Dutton, Jr. (Houston) 512/463-0510 harold.dutton@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Ryan Guillen (Rio Grande City) 512/463-0416 ryan.guillen@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Dan Huberty (Houston) 512/463-0520 dan.huberty@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Mark Shelton (Fort Worth) 512/463-0608 mark.shelton@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Todd Smith (Euless) 512/463-0522 todd.smith@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Mark Strama (Austin) 512/463-0821 mark.strama@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Randy Webber (Pearland) 512/463-0707 district29.weber@house.state.tx.us

 

To Find out who your State Representative is CLICK HERE!

To Access the Texas Legislature Online visit – www.capitol.state.tx.us



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