Despite outcry, Kansas should stick with a ban on spectators for high school sports

The Kansas State High School Activities Association board of directors voted two weeks ago to proceed with sports but prohibit fans — a compromise aimed at mitigating a statewide surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

On Tuesday, they’ll meet to discuss it again, after a chorus of detractors suddenly shifted from “Let them play” to “Let us watch.”

As difficult and unpopular as it might be, the KSHSAA board should stick with its temporary ban on spectators, including family members. It’s a sensible, reasonable precaution that keeps the ultimate goal in mind: the health and safety of student athletes, families and communities.

“Our board looked at turning down the dial or turning off the dial — no activities — and no one had the appetite for that,” said KSHSAA executive director Bill Faflick.

“Because of the seriousness of this (pandemic) and the desire to have kids in school and learning . . . turning it down significantly was an important step that they made.”

KSHSAA leaders ignored a recommendation from medical advisers to delay the start of winter sports until mid-January, citing student mental health and overwhelming calls to “let the kids play.”

But they supported a suggestion to prohibit spectators at winter activities, which are indoors and thus more likely to spread the coronavirus.

Predictably, that compromise didn’t sit well with thousands of parents, who called, emailed and signed an online petition urging KSHSAA to let parents attend middle- and high-school activities — or at least to let local school boards decide.

Several parents addressed the group’s board of appeals, which voted 7-1 to send the issue back to the full board to revisit the question and to consider allowing one or two spectators per participant.

Several of the parents’ points sound logical:

Kansas schools allowed fans at fall activities with few complications — save several COVID-related clusters and quarantines — so winter sports should be no different, right?

Except the number of COVID-19 cases has risen exponentially over the past few weeks, and already-stressed hospitals fear bigger spikes after holiday gatherings.

Parents argued that some gyms are large enough to handle a crowd of masked, socially distanced spectators, so why not let them?

A photo posted by KSHSAA’s official Twitter account a few days after the board’s vote — showing large crowds at the Class 5A state football championship game — illustrates how challenging that can be.

And what if a student athlete suffers a serious injury or medical condition during competition? What would happen without a parent or guardian present?

The answer, Faflick explained, is the same thing that would happen during a practice or school day: When parents aren’t there, coaches and school staff follow established crisis plans, and they handle emergencies.

It’s not ideal — none of this is. Of course we all want to watch our children compete. But pandemics require us to adapt, set priorities and make sacrifices for the greater good.

If high schools want to continue winter seasons and launch spring sports — which were canceled altogether during last spring’s stay-at-home order — their best shot is to limit crowds as much as possible. And the best way to do that is with clear, consistent, statewide guidance from KSHSAA.

Wichita State University announced last month that fans won’t be allowed at home basketball games in Koch Arena through the end of December, due to safety concerns with rising COVID-19 positivity rates. That’s a smart move.

University of Kansas officials, meanwhile, made the baffling decision to begin hosting fans at sporting events this week — as many as 2,500 for basketball games in Allen Fieldhouse — despite warnings from public health officials.

Colleges, businesses and local governments are all over the board on what to allow, and when, and how. KSHSAA made a bold and commendable decision to let kids play without spectators in the stands.

Now all they need to do is stick to it.

This story was originally published December 7, 2020 at 3:54 PM.