Commissioner says that would be the most
helpful step in resolving House Bill 91 issues
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
CHAPEL HILL – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) hopes to meet 1-on-1 with the State Board of Education and collaborate on a memorandum of understanding (MOU).
As a debate of House Bill 91 continues, NCHSAA officials say they would like to meet with the State Board of Education only and not involve any state legislators
In the most recent draft of HB 91, legislators backed off their initial indication their intent was to dissolve the NCHSAA and replace it with a 17-member committee selected by legislators and Gov. Roy Cooper.
TUCKER
The revised bill spelled out requirements legislators feel need to be part of the equation. They set an Oct. 15 deadline for NCHSAA officials to enter an MOU so the NCHSAA and its staff could stay in place but with more oversight from the State Board of Education.
Among the things state legislators have indicated they want included are a state audit, the NCHSAA to stop fining schools and seeking corporate sponsorship, and for the non-profit organization to be more transparent and subject to state laws governing open meetings and public records.
After a meeting last Wednesday between state legislators and representatives from the State Board of Education and the NCHSAA, Republican sponsors of HB 91 told reporters an agreement was reached.
Last Friday, NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker told HighSchoolOT.com: “We do not believe an agreement was reached on any specific items that would then show up in a (memorandum of understanding with the State Board of Education).
“The NCHSAA position has been and continues to be that the Association and the State Board of Education need to be afforded the opportunity to formalize a memorandum of understanding outside of the political pressure and coercion of members of the General Assembly.”
To assure that the comment meant the NCHSAA was advocating for work sessions with the State Board of Education only – without anyone in the legislature attending meetings or being involved in any way – HobbsDailyReport.com requested clarity of the NCHSAA.
On Tuesday, HobbsDailyReport.com received this e-mail from James Alverson, assistant commissioner of media relations for the NCHSAA:
“I spoke with Commissioner Tucker, and she stands by her quote to HighSchoolOT.com, which we feel is self-explanatory.
“We believe that the best possible outcome is for the NCHSAA and the State Board of Education to return to negotiating a memorandum of understanding as was underway prior to the introduction of HB 91 in June.
“The best venue for an agreement that benefits the students of our state is when the State Board of Education and the NCHSAA leadership can engage in negotiations free from the legislative pressure and influence that has characterized this discussion since the introduction of this bill.”
MOST RECENT HB 91: https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/FiscalNotes/House/PDF/HFN0091v6.pdf
RELATED STORIES ON HB 91
LEGISLATORS SAY AGREEMENT REACHED: https://hobbsdailyreport.com/north-carolina-high-school-athletic-association/high-schools-reports-says-state-legislators-nchsaa-closer-to-an-agreement/
TUCKER SAYS NO AGREEMENT REACHED: https://hobbsdailyreport.com/north-carolina-high-school-athletic-association/high-schools-nchsaas-tucker-says-no-agreement-in-place-with-state-legislators/
LEGISLATORS REACH TO MOVE FORWARD: https://hobbsdailyreport.com/north-carolina-high-school-athletic-association/nchsaa-state-legislators-ready-to-move-forward-on-house-bill-91/
