During his weekly appearance on Mobile radio FM Talk 106'5's "The Jeff Poor Show," State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) discussed the unfolding controversy about the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) and its efforts to deny high school sports participation for students participating in Alabama's school choice programs.
Elliott called for the AHSAA to be held more accountable, as it is acting as what he described as a "military junta."
"[L]ook, we need an agency or an entity rather that governs high school, we do," he said. "We need something to say, yes, this is right, no, that's wrong, yes, you can do this, no, you can't do it. We need that. The problem is this association over the many, many years that it's been in operation has become incredibly powerful. There's too much money involved. They control the money, control the play, control the advertising, control the playoffs, control the type of ball you use. And it has turned into a military junta that is regulating high school sports — not for the benefit of children, but for the benefit of the association."
"And that's where it's gotten out of line," Elliott continued. "That's where we need to get it back in line. And that's where the legislature needs to step in, make some reforms and then get back out of the way. But these are the normal checks and balances that happen when these quasi-bureaucrats get in place where they think they can make policy that trumps state law, where they think they can avoid audits, can avoid public scrutiny, can avoid the public having some transparency on what they're doing with oftentimes public funds, most of the time public funds. And that's simply inappropriate. And we need to get things back right where there's accountability back to the people."
Jeff Poor is the editor-in-chief of 1819 News and host of "The Jeff Poor Show," heard Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5. To connect or comment, email [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @jeff_poor.
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