Junior high sports season in holding pattern, IESA waits for clarity from the state

Facing the same restrictions as the high school athletics, the Illinois Elementary School Association, board of directors released a statement after yesterday's video conference meeting concerning the prospect of junior high school sports this fall.

The association has submitted questions to the Illinois Department of Public Health and Governor J.B. Pritzker's office seeking clarification on a number of issues in current restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A reply from the two state entities tasked with public safety during the current pathogenic outbreak has yet to be delivered to the organization that oversees 15 sports and activities for the 7th and 8th grade levels.

The state's response will determine if there will indeed be a scholastic sports season or how the individual sports seasons could be modified by the IESA to allow for competitive athletics starting sometime next month when students are slated to return to instruction either in person or via online as students in Illinois underwent in March of this year.

Here is the full statement released on the IESA website:

On Wednesday, July 15, the IESA Board of Directors met via a Zoom conference call to discuss the possibility/practicality of holding IESA activities in the 2020-21 school year and specifically the fall activities of golf, softball, baseball, cross-country, and girls basketball. Also included on the call was the Executive Director of the IHSA, Mr. Craig Anderson.

As included in the email from the IESA Executive Director to the IESA membership that was sent on Tuesday, July 14, the IESA has sent several emails to the Governor's Office and Illinois Department of Public Health seeking guidance regarding interscholastic activity participation and health and safety requirements. The answers that we receive from these agencies will have a significant impact on the type of activity and/or format of the activity that we are able to offer during this school year. To date, we have not received answers to our inquiries.

Our goal is to return to play but as an education-based organization, we must always take into account the health, safety, and well-being of students. Because of the ever-changing landscape, the IESA Board simply felt that until we receive answers, it would not be prudent at this time to make a decision to cancel fall activities knowing that a decision like that is devastating to the very students and schools IESA serves. An update on the status of fall activities will be sent to the membership no later than July 24.

Viewpoint:From the daughter of an immigrant, immigration reform isn't racist

By Kena Dijiba, Guest Commentator

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Is calling for immigration reform racist?

I say, "No".

First things first. My perspective is not that of your average Trump supporter, so Liberals hold your horses at bay and put down the ammo. In fact, I’m quite the middle of the road kind of woman when it comes to 60 percent of the issues the United States is currently facing. But, admittedly we all have personal bias that pushes us towards one end of a grey spectrum. So as the daughter of an African immigrant here is my take:

Growing up on two polar opposite sides of this country has offered me a rainbow bucket of insight that most people might not be able to comprehend. From a baby until I was eight-years-old, I spent my life in "The Land of Enchantment". Good ole Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Native, along with Mexican culture enveloped me like a warm blanket.

When starting school there, it was customary to do the pledge of allegiance completely in Spanish, and all my closest friends were mostly of Mexican descent. Then abruptly due to familial issues, we left and moved to where my mother was raised in Kentucky.

Now, let's just say that was the culture shock of a lifetime. From the country twang to confederate flags, life had really changed. But, as I grew up and found my way back to New Mexico to attend college, I realized that both places held beauty in a myriad of ways.

Skip to me working at my new job as a busser on the campus of the University of New Mexico, which was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

While working there I was able to speak Spanish comfortably with my coworkers and cultivate strong friendships. Unapologetically as the conversationalist I am, it was customary discussing hot button issues of the day, and immigration came up.

While talking to my friend Alejandra, who was working harder than anyone to make a decent amount of money before graduating we went nose deep into battle. With her being from Mexico I expected, like an ignorant pundit, that her perspective on immigration wouldn't shy away from the status quo.

Well, Alejandra went off. She was quite concise with her stance.

She didn't agree with people coming to America illegally because she herself had spent years tirelessly following all the rules.

She expressed, that she all out didn't think it was justified, and that right there in 2018 was what shifted my view.

For a project around that same time I was tasked to interview someone in my dorm. I chose an Indian woman by the name of Taz to speak about her perspective on immigration, which rung similar to Alejandra.

She herself had put so much into her education and urged others to fight to come to the United States in a responsible manner. It was interesting with all the vitriol the left spills on how it's such a "racist", along with a xenophobic, stance to have, when simply most immigrants, including children of immigrants, feel this way.

While in school I met countless people who had the same story. From Nepal to China, there were immigrants at University busting their way through, and doing it legally. This was the story of my father from Africa who got his Ph.D. and lawfully became a U.S. citizen.

So, what I’m trying to communicate thoroughly and without judgement is the need for compassionate reform on immigration.

I do not believe in this ridiculous phantom dream of a magical wall, and I forthrightly don't believe in sending people back to where they "came from". In my opinion that style of rhetoric is dangerous. What should be focused on is securing valid paths to citizenship, and the denormalization of the "act" of crossing over.

If we can do this, then hopefully people will stop blindly compounding their energy into what they don't understand and begin the process of trying to.

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Kena Dijiba is the 21 year-old author of "Millennial Vegan" featured last year in the Winchester Sun. She is also worked as an entertainment writer whose work has published in over 700 articles. -----------------------------------------------------------

ViewPoint | "Consider letting God love you today"

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I've been a bicycle rider my whole life. Fifty years ago, this month I was riding my bike about six miles round trip to Bible school at Tomahawk, Kentucky. I did so for an entire week.

During the week, I was one of several young people who prayed the prayer to receive Christ. On Sunday morning in 90-degree July heat I put on the best clothes I owned and rode my Western Auto yellow three speed bike almost five miles one way over two mountain hills to Inez, Kentucky.

I was a bit wet with sweat after that ride. I parked my bike in the front yard of Russell Williamson and went into First Baptist Church to make my decision for Christ public. Russell Williamson was a state hall of fame basketball coach, educator and businessman. Two years later I would be ordained beside Russell Williamson.

Later that night, my parents would drive me back to church to be baptized. Since that day I've had the opportunities to travel the country and I've been all over the world. And, it just keeps getting better, all by the grace of God. He has been a lot better to me than I could ever be to him as I know I'm probably one of the most imperfect people God ever created.

Still, I marvel at God's grace, provisions and all that he allows me to do and enjoy.

Here I am today, fifty years later and I don't feel like God has ever turned his back on me or excluded me from his care. There have certainly been some bumps in the road and some rough times along the way. The way life is there are bound to be more curves and some tough terrain. It's just life.

If you think you are going to sail through life unscathed from bruises, cuts and some pain then you haven't lived long enough to know better. Eventually you'll know the journey of life is not always a smooth ride.

However, I want to say I'm grateful for life and the opportunity to live life. This is a difficult time in the world for everybody in different ways. Covid-19, business failures, financial and personal struggles exclude none of us and to some extent are inclusive of us all.

Today, allow me to give thanks for my 50-year pilgrimage of faith in Christ. It's been quite a trip.

If you have not opened your heart to God's love today in Christ, please consider it. I'm not talking about joining a church or acting like some ridiculous religious people act. But, consider letting God love you today because he does and he will take you further than you can ever imagine.

Dr. Glenn Mollette

----------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of American Issues, Every American Has An Opinion and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. -----------------------------------------------------------