Update: Cuomo Allowing Districts to Decide on Start of HS Sports

There's a bit of volleying going on, back and forth, between New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York Council of School Superintendents. The topic is high school sports.

Here's a quick recap of events:

1. Cuomo had unveiled New York State's official re-opening plan calling for some low-risk athletics to begin in September.

2. He received some pushback. In a letter to the governor, the New York Council of School Superintendents wants all sports postponed until January 2021.

3. Now, the governor has decided he'll allow individual school disctricts to make up their minds on the matter.

The council has been worried about increasing the dangers of student-athletes spreading the coronavirus. Here's a portion of the impactful letter from the council's executive director, Charles Dedrick, that changed Cuomo's mind:

We have struggled to reconcile why students in physical education classes must be 12 feet apart per reopening guidance, yet contact athletics and other activities that regularly bring athletes into close proximity are deemed safe at this time. Additionally, the logistical challenges of school athletics during the pandemic and the initial re-opening of school such as transportation, locker rooms, spectators, personnel, remote learners, A/B hybrid scheduling, and other issues are too significant to undertake at this time without detracting from the primary goal of bringing students back to school safely.

All New York superintendents are not in agreement.

According to WHAM in Rochester, a tweet Wednesday from Canandaigua Superintendent Jamie Farr said, "I am supportive of sports resuming Sept. 21. The letter was a state level position letter but not a reflection of the belief of all superintendents. I respect the letter and the authors but I also have own, separate beliefs."