To whom it may concern,

We the people of the city of Columbus really feel our kids as Columbus city school student athletes are suffering from unfair, unequal measures that don’t allow our kids to participate in winter sports. Due to the covid pandemic our kids winter sports have once again been postponed. There are many other schools in Ohio that are still very much playing in games and or at the bare minimum still allowed to practice and train as a team. Just in Franklin county alone there are several schools that even share the same zip code as some of our Columbus city schools that still are participating in winter sports.

For example, Bexley high school is still participating in winter sports, still playing games and practicing. Bexley is within walking distance to Columbus Africentric early college, and within the same zip code but Africentric sports have been postponed. Whitehall yearling, and Hartly is minutes from Eastmore, and those schools are still allowed to participate in winter sports. Westerville schools are mintues from Northland high school and they are still participating. These are all schools that are all in Franklin county so why is it that Columbus kids have to suffer?

The crime rate in Columbus continues to grow and just within this past week Columbus police have been called to a homicide investigation nearly everyday. The majority of those investigations have been dealing with teens who have been murdered or involved in a murder. Sports are a major outlet for Columbus city kids this is a way out for most of the kids.

The district not allowing our kids to play is jeopardizing the future of our children. There are many students athletes who are depending on an athletic scholarship to get their college paid for. By our kids not playing they can’t send any film to colleges to get them the recognition they will need to secure a scholarship.  However there counterparts within walking distance from a Columbus city school is still allowed that opportunity.

In closing, We the people of Columbus city know we can continue to keep our kids safe and healthy all while still allowing our kids to participate in winter sports. Columbus city schools was allowed to participate in fall sports and that was a great turnout. We strongly believe that during the winter sports our kids will be safe and healthy, mentally, physically and emotionally if we are given the same opportunity to participate in winter sports as any other school district in Franklin county. We ask that you stop making our kids suffer, stop taking away the much needed outlet and opportunities from our kids. 

Thanks

sincerely, 

The People of  Columbus