The current system allows private schools to participate in public school playoffs, creating an uneven playing field. Private schools often have more resources and can recruit students for athletics, which is not possible for public schools. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, private schools have a higher percentage of students participating in sports (62% compared to 52% at public schools). This disparity leads to an unfair advantage during playoffs. We urge the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) to revise their policies and exclude private schools from participating in public school playoffs. Let's level the playing field and promote fair competition among all our student-athletes.

This disproportionately impacts medium-small sized Ohio Public schools as the majority of private schools fall into the Division II to Division IV size range. In the 2023 High School Football State Finals, Division II - IV, 5 of the 6 teams are  private institutions which have more funding and the ability to recruit vs their public counterpart.  

Given that the private schools all have the same advantage as each other to recruit students they should have in a division all to themselves, regardless of student population.

Sign this petition if you believe that every student deserves a fair chance at success on the sports field!