Private schools may have sports advantage

Nick Ianniello

Mineral Independent

The Superior School District withdrew a motion at this weekend’s Montana High School Association’s annual meeting of member schools that would have forced private schools throughout the state with more than 90 students to play up a division in sporting events.

“I’m just trying to do right by our students,” said Superior High School Principal Allan Labbe.

According to Labbe, the district withdrew their motion after threats of litigation from Montana’s catholic schools caused other schools that backed the motion to withdraw their support.

“We would like to see all of them playing up a division,” Labbe said about many of the private schools in Montana.

Labbe said that the Superior School District pushed the motion because they feel private schools have an unfair advantage when it comes to athletics.

“They can control their population, we can’t. They can make themselves as big or small as they want,” Labbe said. “They can also control their clientele. What we can’t do is go on down to a neighboring district and say hey, why don’t you come to Superior High School.”

Labbe said that while private schools in Montana are not necessarily recruiting, they can use reduced tuition rates for students with economic needs to bring talented athletes and scholars to their schools.

“They use that to attract kids, which is what I would do too if I were them. But consequently, using reduced tuition they can attract some awfully good students and awfully good athletes, which is why they are as good as they are,” Labbe said.

Labbe added that most public schools go through peaks and valleys in terms of athletics. Some years there are a group of talented athletes in a public school, when other years the talent simply is not around.

Superior is likely to be bumped up from Division C to Division B next year. Labbe said that while their population does put them in Division B, Superior’s schools will likely be down in enrolment to Division C levels in the coming years.

Labbe said that the private schools Billings Central, Butte Central, Valley Christian and Manhattan Christian are already playing up a class.

Had the motion passed, Loyola Sacred Heart in Missoula, a school that has dominated Division B sports in the area for some time, would have had to move up to Division A.

“When a team can be up in that peak year after year after year I don’t think that’s fair to us. So was the proposal targeting Loyola? If the shoe fits wear it,” Labbe said.

According to Labbe the Catholic Schools of Montana said that the motion was religiously motivated and was not directed at private schools in general. They threatened litigation for religious discrimination if the motion passed.

“It had nothing to do with religion, I’m just looking out for the best interests of the kids in Superior. I’m trying to level the playing field for us,” said Labbe.

While the motion has been dropped and the Superior School District will not have another opportunity to try to force private schools to play up a division until next year’s meeting, Labbe hopes that the message they sent will resonate with private schools in the area.

“It’s up to them to do the right thing now,” Labbe said. “Maybe they’ll say, ‘Yeah we need to move up.’ If they do, that’s awesome.”

Either way Labbe said he plans to do what he can to give the students and athletes in Superior a level playing field.

“We’re going to do what we think is right for our kids, these kids right here” Labbe said as students passed him in the hall of Superior High School. “They weren’t born with a silver spoon in their mouth and doggone it I want to do everything I can to make sure their experience is fair and equitable.”