By Thomas Grant Jr.
It’s no secret the ongoing differences between Gray Collegiate Academy and Lexington School District Two.
Those feelings became even more public during Thursday’s hearing before the S.C. High School League Executive Committee. Both Brookland-Cayce and Airport were appealing fines for not playing the West Columbia school in junior varsity football games last year.
Each faced $2,500 fines for forfeiting those games. It was during the hearing when athletics directors Rusty Charpia of Brookland-Cayce and Shane Fidler of Airport cited their respective school’s actions.
Both believe Gray Collegiate actively recruits students from District 2 and it have made it difficult for their athletics program to field competitive teams.
“There are 300 students who should be going to Brookland-Cayce High School but made the decision to go to Gray,” Charpia told the committee. “There are 140 playing there now that used to play for us.”
Fidler also said there are 100 students who are zoned for Airport who are now enrolled at Gray Collegiate.
The three schools are now together in Region 4-4A. Under S.C. High School League rules, Brookland-Cayce and Airport must face Gray Collegiate in all varsity games to avoid fines and to remain eligible for the post-season.
This has further heightened District 2’s concern about Gray Collegiate’s proximity to the Cayce/West Columbia area.
“It has been quite a task to keep our kids,” Charpia said. “We are traditional school. We go to school eight hours a day. They are in a different model.”
In the end, the committee voted to reduce both schools. Airport was ordered to pay $500 while Brookland-Cayce was fined only $2.
Filder plans to appeal the fine, while Gray Collegiate principal Brian Newsome issued a statement.
“In our opinion, the actions by the SCHSL Executive Committee neither meet the letter nor the spirit of this law requiring a uniform system establishing fines for cancellation of games applicable to all SCHSL member schools,” Newsome wrote in the statement. “Today’s decisions have made a mockery of the rule of law.
“We, as law-abiding citizens, and leaders in education, should abide by and set an example for our students by accepting the consequences of our actions.
“GCA will continue to advocate for families and students who exercise their rights to attend a school of their choice. Likewise, GCA will continue to advocate for our student-athletes and their right to participate in athletic contests at every competition level: varsity, sub-varsity, and middle school. We will not rest until all public school student-athletes competing in SCHSL sanctioned competitions are treated equally under the SCHSL constitution, SCHSL bylaws, and the laws of the state.”
This is the latest athletics controversy involving Gray Collegiate Academy. Back in November, the football team was cited for using an ineligible player. The Appellate Panel ultimately upheld the earlier ruling that issued a fine, barred the War Eagles from the post-season and put the program in a warning status.
In addition, head coach DeAngelo Jacobs and an assistant were suspended from team activities the rest of the school year.
By Thomas Grant Jr.
It’s no secret the ongoing differences between Gray Collegiate Academy and Lexington School District Two.
Those feelings became even more public during Thursday’s hearing before the S.C. High School League Executive Committee. Both Brookland-Cayce and Airport were appealing fines for not playing the West Columbia school in junior varsity football games last year.
Each faced $2,500 fines for forfeiting those games. It was during the hearing when athletics directors Rusty Charpia of Brookland-Cayce and Shane Fidler of Airport cited their respective school’s actions.
Both believe Gray Collegiate actively recruits students from District 2 and it have made it difficult for their athletics program to field competitive teams.
“There are 300 students who should be going to Brookland-Cayce High School but made the decision to go to Gray,” Charpia told the committee. “There are 140 playing there now that used to play for us.”
Fidler also said there are 100 students who are zoned for Airport who are now enrolled at Gray Collegiate.
The three schools are now together in Region 4-4A. Under S.C. High School League rules, Brookland-Cayce and Airport must face Gray Collegiate in all varsity games to avoid fines and to remain eligible for the post-season.
This has further heightened District 2’s concern about Gray Collegiate’s proximity to the Cayce/West Columbia area.
“It has been quite a task to keep our kids,” Charpia said. “We are traditional school. We go to school eight hours a day. They are in a different model.”
In the end, the committee voted to reduce both schools. Airport was ordered to pay $500 while Brookland-Cayce was fined only $2.
Filder plans to appeal the fine, while Gray Collegiate principal Brian Newsome issued a statement.
“In our opinion, the actions by the SCHSL Executive Committee neither meet the letter nor the spirit of this law requiring a uniform system establishing fines for cancellation of games applicable to all SCHSL member schools,” Newsome wrote in the statement. “Today’s decisions have made a mockery of the rule of law.
“We, as law-abiding citizens, and leaders in education, should abide by and set an example for our students by accepting the consequences of our actions.
“GCA will continue to advocate for families and students who exercise their rights to attend a school of their choice. Likewise, GCA will continue to advocate for our student-athletes and their right to participate in athletic contests at every competition level: varsity, sub-varsity, and middle school. We will not rest until all public school student-athletes competing in SCHSL sanctioned competitions are treated equally under the SCHSL constitution, SCHSL bylaws, and the laws of the state.”
This is the latest athletics controversy involving Gray Collegiate Academy. Back in November, the football team was cited for using an ineligible player. The Appellate Panel ultimately upheld the earlier ruling that issued a fine, barred the War Eagles from the post-season and put the program in a warning status.
In addition, head coach DeAngelo Jacobs and an assistant were suspended from team activities the rest of the school year.