Create separate athletic leagues for private high schools.
Create separate athletic leagues for private high schools.
The Issue
High school sports should be grounded in fairness, equal opportunity, and integrity. But across Oregon — and the entire country — public and private high schools compete in the same athletic leagues, despite playing by completely different rules. This creates an unfair playing field that hurts public school athletes and undermines the very spirit of school athletics. In Oregon, the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) regulates interscholastic sports and activities. However, when public and private high schools are grouped together, disparities in resources, recruitment practices, and admissions policies give private schools an inherent advantage. While these schools have the ability to selectively admit students and offer scholarships to talented athletes, public schools operate with limited budgets and serve a catchment area with no such selection. The result is an uneven competition landscape, where public school athletes are often at a disadvantage due to factors beyond their control. This skewed level of competition adversely affects the morale and sportsmanship values that high school athletics strive to promote. By creating separate athletic leagues for public and private high schools, we can ensure a fair and equitable environment for all students. It will allow each group to compete amongst themselves on a level playing field, reflecting the resources and rules by which each operate. Schools will be able to focus on ensuring their athletes develop valuable life skills through sportsmanship, teamwork, and competition under fair conditions. We call upon the Oregon School Activities Association, Oregon Department of Education, Oregon State Legislators, U.S. Department of Education, and State Athletic Associations across the U.S. to take action now. Together, let us uphold the integrity of high school sports and provide a fair playing field for every student-athlete. Sign this petition to support separate athletic leagues for public and private high schools to promote fairness and equality in sports competition.
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The Issue
High school sports should be grounded in fairness, equal opportunity, and integrity. But across Oregon — and the entire country — public and private high schools compete in the same athletic leagues, despite playing by completely different rules. This creates an unfair playing field that hurts public school athletes and undermines the very spirit of school athletics. In Oregon, the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) regulates interscholastic sports and activities. However, when public and private high schools are grouped together, disparities in resources, recruitment practices, and admissions policies give private schools an inherent advantage. While these schools have the ability to selectively admit students and offer scholarships to talented athletes, public schools operate with limited budgets and serve a catchment area with no such selection. The result is an uneven competition landscape, where public school athletes are often at a disadvantage due to factors beyond their control. This skewed level of competition adversely affects the morale and sportsmanship values that high school athletics strive to promote. By creating separate athletic leagues for public and private high schools, we can ensure a fair and equitable environment for all students. It will allow each group to compete amongst themselves on a level playing field, reflecting the resources and rules by which each operate. Schools will be able to focus on ensuring their athletes develop valuable life skills through sportsmanship, teamwork, and competition under fair conditions. We call upon the Oregon School Activities Association, Oregon Department of Education, Oregon State Legislators, U.S. Department of Education, and State Athletic Associations across the U.S. to take action now. Together, let us uphold the integrity of high school sports and provide a fair playing field for every student-athlete. Sign this petition to support separate athletic leagues for public and private high schools to promote fairness and equality in sports competition.
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Petition created on October 11, 2025