How Warmer Weather is Impacting High School Football

Good Day!

Most schools will be back in session as this week begins. There are a still a few schools out there that will wait until the Labor Day weekend, so enjoy your last week! So far, there has been a lot that has been happening, and there are a lot of interesting things that have been happening like the mascot…well, you’ll read that here below.

Cheers ☕

Coastal vs Inland

In a controversial move that has sparked debate among educators and coaches, California has implemented new heat protocols for high school sports through Assembly Bill 1653 and CIF Bylaw 503 K. These regulations, set to take effect this fall, categorize schools based on their location and set temperature limits for athletic activities using WetBulb Globe Temperature thermometers.

The new rules have created particular challenges for schools in San Diego County, where diverse microclimates exist within a relatively small geographic area. While coastal schools like Torrey Pines High might experience mild temperatures, inland schools such as Ramona High often face significantly hotter conditions. This disparity has led coaches like Damon Baldwin of Ramona High to call for reevaluating the categorization system. Baldwin stated: "I would ask our state lawmakers to come to Ramona for a regular 3:45 p.m. practice, then drive over to the coast … Carlsbad, Oceanside, Torrey Pines … and tell me we're dealing with the same weather."

Baldwin has been the coach of the Ramona High School Bulldogs football team for twenty years, so he understands the need to ensure students' safety as they practice in the heat.

The influence of these regulations is not confined to football; it extends to a range of fall sports, including cross country, golf, and tennis. Coaches and athletic directors are grappling with how to maintain practice schedules while adhering to the new rules. Some schools have resorted to moving practices to early morning or late evening hours, raising concerns about student well-being and academic performance.

Smaller schools and private institutions face additional hurdles in implementing the new heat protocols. Often lacking dedicated facilities and drawing students from wider geographic areas, these institutions find it particularly challenging to schedule practices that accommodate both the new heat protocols and students' transportation needs.

The situation highlights the complexities of implementing statewide regulations in a geographically diverse region like San Diego County. While the law's intent is to protect student-athletes from heat-related illnesses, many coaches argue that a one-size-fits-all approach fails to account for local variations in climate. As the fall sports season begins, educators and officials are closely watching how these new rules will impact school athletics and are calling for potential adjustments to better reflect the realities of different microclimates within the county.

God in the Classroom?

As you probably know, if you have been keeping up with Ryan Walter's crusade in Oklahoma's public education system, beginning this year, he is requiring that the Bible be taught in the classrooms beginning in fifth grade. We are seeing what this looks like as we begin the new school year.

At Skiatook High School, students were asked this simple question in their history class: How did the world start? A series of questions to prompt students included:

• What is Christianity?

• What does it mean to be Christian?

• Is God real?

• Is Satan real?

A sister of one of the students in the history class posted the assignment on X. The assignment was created by one of the current football coaches who was on an emergency teaching certificate, which just expired in June.

A student was asked about her feelings about completing the assignment, and she stated, "Weird like (what) if I didn't give the answer he wanted to hear. I'm like, he might give me a lower grade, which I know ... he can't really do that because of school stuff."

The sophomore student does not identify as Christian.

Imagine being a student of a different faith—whether Judaism, Islam, Buddhism or even agnosticism or atheism—how can you respond to the questions presented in the writing project?

16% of the students that attend Skiatook High School identify as American Indian. Olivia Gray, who is the mother of the student who responded earlier, stated, "If you consider how we've been forcefully converted, I don't think asking us any questions about Christianity is fair at this point."

Skiatook Public School released a statement acknowledging that it needs to better collaborate with stakeholders and implement best practices to ensure it meets the Oklahoma Academic Standards. The school encouraged parents to contact their administrators if they find any concerning assignments being presented.

Rachel Laser is president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. In response to Ryan Walter's directive to use the Bible in the classroom, she stated, "Public Schools are not Sunday schools…This is textbook Christian Nationalism: Walters is abusing the power of his public office to impose his religious beliefs on everyone else's children. Not on our watch."

The school year has only begun. Expect more stories to come out of schools challenging Walter's directive.

The Final Minute

1. In a tragic incident that has shaken the Alabama high school sports community, Morgan Academy junior quarterback Caden Tellier died Saturday evening after sustaining a severe brain injury during a football game the previous night. Tellier was injured in the third quarter of his team's home opener against Southern Academy and was airlifted to the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital for emergency treatment. The school's headmaster, Bryan Oliver, confirmed Tellier's passing, describing him as a "shining light" and a devoted Christian who will be deeply missed by the entire school community. In response to this heartbreaking event, the Alabama Independent School Association has suspended all school activities for the coming week, highlighting the profound impact of this loss on the local education and sports community.

2. School voucher programs, touted as a means to improve education by giving parents more choice, are falling short of their promises according to recent research. Studies from multiple states, including Ohio, Louisiana, Washington D.C., and Indiana, show that students using vouchers to attend private schools often perform worse academically than their peers in public schools. Despite these concerning results, North Carolina is considering a significant expansion of its voucher program, potentially allocating an additional $460 million to Opportunity Scholarships. Critics, including Governor Roy Cooper, argue that this move could further strain the state's already underfunded public education system while funneling money into private schools with little oversight and potentially substandard curricula.

3. In a controversial move, the Mountain View Whisman School District in Silicon Valley has paused a $189,000 contract with an "energy healer" who was providing meditation sessions for administrators, following parent protests over budgetary concerns. The decision came after a San Francisco Chronicle report revealed the district's significant spending on these sessions, which some viewed as an extravagance in light of other pressing educational needs. While some district officials defended the value of the meditation sessions for stress management, others, including Board of Trustees President Devon Conley, expressed shock at the nature and cost of the services. This controversy highlights the ongoing tensions in public education between addressing staff wellness and allocating resources to directly impact student achievement, especially in districts facing significant achievement gaps.

4. Ottawa Township High School District 140, located in suburban Chicago, is facing a crisis that exemplifies the challenges plaguing public schools across the nation. Due to a "shortage of properly certified food service personnel," the district has been forced to dismiss students early for two consecutive days, disrupting the educational process and potentially leaving some students without access to school-provided meals. This situation underscores the critical role support staff play in maintaining a functional school environment and raises questions about the broader issues of staffing, funding, and prioritization in our public education system.

Closing Bell

On this day in 1944…

Dietrich von Choltitz, Commander of the German Troops in Paris, surrendered Paris to the Free French Forces commanded by General Phillippe Leclerc. The surrender was against the order of Adolph Hitler in which he ordered von Choltitz to destroy the city. Eith months later, Hitler committed suicide as Soviet troops began to surround Berlin, thus officially ending the War in Europe.