IHSA Denies CPS Cross Country Teams' Appeal To Compete In Playoffs; Teams To Take Their Case To Court

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Illinois High School Association has denied an appeal by Chicago Public Schools cross country runners hoping to join the state playoffs, now that the city's teachers' strike is over, but the runners are now taking their plea to court.

Chicago Public Schools cross country teams were forced out of the playoffs and missed out on regionals last weekend, because IHSA rules bar any team from competing if their school is on strike.

After the strike ended Thursday afternoon, CPS cross country teams from Jones College Prep, Lane Tech College Prep, Lincoln Park, Mather, Payton, Solorio, and Taft high schools appealed to the IHSA, asking to be reinstated to compete in sectionals this weekend.

The IHSA board unanimously denied their appeal.

"The Board was steadfast in following the language of the strike policy, as they have done throughout this recent CPS strike, and in past incidences involving other schools and districts on strike," said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. "They did not believe it would be equitable to provide relief for cross country when no remedy exists for other impacted sports like boys soccer, girls volleyball and girls tennis."

However, the board plans to review its strike policy at its upcoming December meeting, and how it might be amended in the future.

A judge last week denied the teams' bid for a temporary restraining order that would have allowed them to compete in regionals, ruling the teams could not take part in the playoffs during the strike.

The teams now plan to file an emergency motion in Cook County Circuit Court on Friday afternoon, in hopes a judge will order them reinstated for the playoffs. A hearing has been scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at the Daley Center courthouse.