The school leadership finally blinked and agreed to join the AHSAA. This victory proves that these institutions cannot keep ignoring the basic needs of our student athletes. Stay sharp because we will be watching them like hawks to ensure they actually follow through on this promise.
January 11, 2017
Petition for Huntsville/Madison Area Catholic Schools to Join the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA)
Final supporters
We, the parents and supporters of students who attend the surrounding Huntsville/Madison area Catholic schools, by signing this petition, request the Boards, Foundations, Athletic Directors and Principals to submit the necessary documents to the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) to become a sanctioned participating member no later than January 31st, 2017. Currently 7th & 8th grade students in the Huntsville/Madison area wanting to participate in AHSAA sanctioned sports are unfairly forced to transfer to other public and private schools throughout the city in order to participate in AHSAA sanctioned athletics. By joining the AHSAA, the 7th & 8th grade students in the Huntsville/Madison area who want to participate in AHSAA sanctioned athletics will no longer be forced to transfer and will have an opportunity to compete against other AHSAA sanctioned public and private middle school teams throughout the city and surrounding areas. In addition to being able to participate against their peers from other AHSAA sanctioned schools, 7th & 8th grade Catholic school students in the Huntsville/Madison area will have the opportunity to take advantage of athletic training and other sports related opportunities that are currently available at St. John Paul II Catholic High School by becoming a sanctioned member of the AHSAA. The purpose of this petition is not to impact the athletic opportunities that are available to Huntsville/Madison area Catholic school students in the K through 6th grades. The purpose is to provide the 7th & 8th grade students in the Huntsville/Madison area access to the same athletic opportunities as other middle school students throughout the city without being forced to leave the educational and religious opportunities that make our surrounding Huntsville/Madison area Catholic schools unique in order to pursue their athletic ambitions.
Students in the Huntsville/Madison area Catholic schools in the 7th & 8th grades must be allowed to support continued Catholic Education in Northern Alabama and build the athletic program at the only Catholic High School in the Huntsville, Madison and Decatur area. In order to make this happen, all of the Huntsville/Madison area Catholic schools MUST join the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA). Saint Ann Catholic School in Decatur joined the AHSAA in 2015 and their 7th & 8th grade students are now able to participate at St. John Paul II Catholic High School. All children attending Catholic schools within the Birmingham area have this opportunity beginning in the 7th grade and our children should not be excluded.
Updates
November 4, 2016
We just hit 500 signatures and the leadership at these schools can no longer pretend we are not paying attention. It is time for these administrators to stop forcing our kids out of their schools just to play a game. We have the numbers now so keep the pressure on them until they take action.
Reached 500 supporters
November 1, 2016
October 25, 2016
The school boards and administrators can no longer ignore the growing pile of names demanding they stop forcing our children into these ridiculous transfers. We have achieved real momentum that proves these leaders must finally listen and get these schools into the AHSAA where they belong.
Reached 100 supporters
September 11, 2016
93 Comments
St. Ann in Decatur has stepped up, why not Huntsville/Madison Catholic schools? This is not just about football, it's for all athletics. Most of all, it's beneficial for our children.
I know the feeling of not being prepared to compete at the high school level in sports because I didnt get to compete within AHSAA in middle school. I remember getting to high school as a freshman and wondering why everyone else was better than me. It really limited me as an athlete and I couldn't achieve my full potential.
Our son attended Holy Spirit School 1-8 & graduated from JP II. As a student-athelete (basketball & baseball) his JP II experience would have been significantly better if Holy Spirit had been in the AHSAA.
I desire equal opportunities for our kids. Our kids deserve the same opportunities as the public school kids. Maybe even more so, as we are paying for our children's education.
Because of this issue, I'm dealing with a freshman at JPII wanting to run XC and not prepared for the highschool competition level. Plus, we (JPII) will never have a competitive football team until we have our feeder school kids getting some experience prior to highschool.
To not join is handicapping the growth of our school(s)
Long overdue! Let's provide our children opportunities others have. No child left behind AND no child left out!
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Share this petition to help it reach more people.
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The school leadership finally blinked and agreed to join the AHSAA. This victory proves that these institutions cannot keep ignoring the basic needs of our student athletes. Stay sharp because we will be watching them like hawks to ensure they actually follow through on this promise.
January 11, 2017
Petition for Huntsville/Madison Area Catholic Schools to Join the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA)
Final supporters
We, the parents and supporters of students who attend the surrounding Huntsville/Madison area Catholic schools, by signing this petition, request the Boards, Foundations, Athletic Directors and Principals to submit the necessary documents to the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) to become a sanctioned participating member no later than January 31st, 2017. Currently 7th & 8th grade students in the Huntsville/Madison area wanting to participate in AHSAA sanctioned sports are unfairly forced to transfer to other public and private schools throughout the city in order to participate in AHSAA sanctioned athletics. By joining the AHSAA, the 7th & 8th grade students in the Huntsville/Madison area who want to participate in AHSAA sanctioned athletics will no longer be forced to transfer and will have an opportunity to compete against other AHSAA sanctioned public and private middle school teams throughout the city and surrounding areas. In addition to being able to participate against their peers from other AHSAA sanctioned schools, 7th & 8th grade Catholic school students in the Huntsville/Madison area will have the opportunity to take advantage of athletic training and other sports related opportunities that are currently available at St. John Paul II Catholic High School by becoming a sanctioned member of the AHSAA. The purpose of this petition is not to impact the athletic opportunities that are available to Huntsville/Madison area Catholic school students in the K through 6th grades. The purpose is to provide the 7th & 8th grade students in the Huntsville/Madison area access to the same athletic opportunities as other middle school students throughout the city without being forced to leave the educational and religious opportunities that make our surrounding Huntsville/Madison area Catholic schools unique in order to pursue their athletic ambitions.
Students in the Huntsville/Madison area Catholic schools in the 7th & 8th grades must be allowed to support continued Catholic Education in Northern Alabama and build the athletic program at the only Catholic High School in the Huntsville, Madison and Decatur area. In order to make this happen, all of the Huntsville/Madison area Catholic schools MUST join the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA). Saint Ann Catholic School in Decatur joined the AHSAA in 2015 and their 7th & 8th grade students are now able to participate at St. John Paul II Catholic High School. All children attending Catholic schools within the Birmingham area have this opportunity beginning in the 7th grade and our children should not be excluded.
Updates
November 4, 2016
We just hit 500 signatures and the leadership at these schools can no longer pretend we are not paying attention. It is time for these administrators to stop forcing our kids out of their schools just to play a game. We have the numbers now so keep the pressure on them until they take action.
Reached 500 supporters
November 1, 2016
October 25, 2016
The school boards and administrators can no longer ignore the growing pile of names demanding they stop forcing our children into these ridiculous transfers. We have achieved real momentum that proves these leaders must finally listen and get these schools into the AHSAA where they belong.
Reached 100 supporters
September 11, 2016
93 Comments
Parent of 3 students who attended Catholic schools from K - 12 and graduated from JPII High School. We need to keep our kids in Catholic schools by giving them the best athletic opportunities to go along with the excellent education and moral guidance.
St. Ann in Decatur has stepped up, why not Huntsville/Madison Catholic schools? This is not just about football, it's for all athletics. Most of all, it's beneficial for our children.
I know the feeling of not being prepared to compete at the high school level in sports because I didnt get to compete within AHSAA in middle school. I remember getting to high school as a freshman and wondering why everyone else was better than me. It really limited me as an athlete and I couldn't achieve my full potential.
Our son attended Holy Spirit School 1-8 & graduated from JP II. As a student-athelete (basketball & baseball) his JP II experience would have been significantly better if Holy Spirit had been in the AHSAA.
I desire equal opportunities for our kids. Our kids deserve the same opportunities as the public school kids. Maybe even more so, as we are paying for our children's education.
Because of this issue, I'm dealing with a freshman at JPII wanting to run XC and not prepared for the highschool competition level. Plus, we (JPII) will never have a competitive football team until we have our feeder school kids getting some experience prior to highschool.
To not join is handicapping the growth of our school(s)
Long overdue! Let's provide our children opportunities others have. No child left behind AND no child left out!
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Parent of 3 students who attended Catholic schools from K - 12 and graduated from JPII High School. We need to keep our kids in Catholic schools by giving them the best athletic opportunities to go along with the excellent education and moral guidance.