Been a while since I have posted an update, but progress was being made behind the scenes for much needed change through the state level. Unfortunately MSHSAA also has a lobbyist in place, so getting traction with change isn't that easy. It has made me question their logic on how they always make a point to say they don't take taxpayer money, but yet they still pay a lobbyist.
First: a quick update on Rue. He is doing GREAT at Link Academy, you can see the growth in him and Link was truly a blessing given to him in lieu of MSHSAA robbing him of his senior year in basketball. It's allowed him to work on his inner man, his faith and also some basketball.
I haven't spoken to him much about all this going on behind the scenes because he is still healing from the trauma of what MSHSAA and others did to him by taking away his senior year in basketball. One of the things I promised Rue when he was at his lowest point during that time, was we wouldn't quit until we got change. This change may not help him, but it would help the next kid that maybe doesn't have the means to fight this association of abuse and corruption so those kids would not share the same experience and pain.
Contrary to Rukstad's pleas for pity in this post, she leaves out a big part that she has met with the state reps on at least four different occasions over the last year, all of which he pompous and callous attitude was shining through and wouldn't accept anything with regards to change to help the next kids or taxpayers navigate an impossible process. You can't seek pity and also tell the same individuals that you have turned down multiple opportunities to work to solve this. She only focuses on "they do 1200 of these a year" and "the member schools vote on the rules, she just enforces them". It's classic bait and switch to not look at the inconsistency, collusion, and overall flaws that are built into their list of scenarios that they refer to as bylaws but just do as I say and allow me to continue to govern MO without election.
MSHSAA is scared that this has reached a point where they will be held accountable for taking taxpayer money and trying to be the Supreme Court of MO high school athletics. Please find your senator and make your voice heard regarding this change for all present and future children of MO. The way this works with the state bill, it will likely be refined before a final bill is made, but one thing is key, oversight. They have existed for years with NO oversight whatsoever and that has to change and once this hits the floor in the Senate and House it is likely to be approved with an overwhelming majority. Especially since it was discussed in Governor Kehoe's state of the state address in front of the House this past month.
Lastly, it also shouldn't surprise anyone that a whistleblower has come forward and the suit (link below) was filed last night against MSHSAA for race and sex based discrimination. This board and leadership need to go and the proper oversight needs to be put in place so when the next kid fighting for his future comes forward, he has a voice outside of this corrupt organization funded fully from taxpayer monies. Many come back with we don't need more government, but I have said many times, the way an association works, it is not subject to the same laws that you and I are. As long as they administratively follow procedures (regardless how flawed those procedures may be) they cannot be challenged in a court of law, which effectively makes them the Supreme Court of MO High School Athletics. There is a reason the lawyer that has been paid for 40 years to write the scenarios that allow MSHSAA to have full ability to "deem necessary" the outcome of any situation. The deck is not only stacked against the families, how many unfortunate kids didn't have the means to fight this and lost everything because Rukstad deemed it unnecessary.