Thousands of students, teachers, coaches, school administrators, and others flocked to Lansing, Michigan, on Saturday to protest Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s shutdown of high school winter sports.
Dozens of people, including many of the athletes themselves, gave speeches from the steps of the Michigan State Capitol calling on the governor and the Michigan Department of Health to lift the ban on winter contact sports, according to MLive. Michigan is one of the only states in the country to prohibit high school athletics because of the coronavirus, despite research showing that spread of the disease in schools with precautions is minimal.
The protest was organized by Let Them Play, a group launched last year by Michigan business owner Jayme McElvany, whose son is a high school athlete. McElvany organized two other protests last year that were each attended by hundreds of students, parents, and school staff.
“There were easily 2,000 people here from across the state to show their support and some people from the [Upper Pennisula] drove nine hours just to be here today,” McElvany told MLive. “The crowd was incredible and the kids who got up and spoke really showcased the emotions that everyone is going through right now.”
“I feel like a mom to 60,000 kids right now and I couldn’t be prouder of all of them for continuing to battle for their right to play organized youth sports. I’m fighting for all of them and we are working together to do what is right and let them play again,” she added.
Easily 2,000+ people here at the State Capitol for the Let Them Play rally despite 20 degree temperatures pic.twitter.com/uqlkbOvSBL
— Josh VanDyke (@JoshVanDykeJAX) January 30, 2021
The push to open up winter sports has gained support from local school administrators and boards, as well. The board of the Gaylord community school district in Otsego County passed a resolution on Friday calling for the ban on winter sports to be lifted “immediately.” The administration of Clio Area High School put out an open letter to state leaders on Friday asking for their students to be allowed to participate in winter sports.
“On behalf of Clio Area Schools we implore you to allow our athletes to participate in winter sports,” Clio administrators wrote. “This pandemic has been incredibly difficult for everyone, especially our students. Many of us have lost family and friends, and that is, without a doubt, devastating. This pandemic is real and so are our concerns or our students’ mental and physical well being.”
At the beginning of the year, winter contact sports were due to start back on February 1. On January 22, Whitmer extended the ban on contact sports by three weeks until at least February 21. The extension was put in place despite a Michigan High School Athletic Association pilot-testing program that found a 99.8% negative COVID test rating among high school athletes.
Let Them Play has prepared a lawsuit against the state of Michigan over the winter sports ban and is prepared to file it this week if the government does not back off its ban.
“If you can ignore 2,000 kids screaming and begging for you to let them play sports again, that’s unexplainable,” McElvany told MLive.