What Would a Teachers' Strike Mean to Football Season?

With negotiating teams from the and the meeting with a federal mediator today, ?

Should the two sides reach an agreement there will be no worries for the many Lake Forest High School student athletes but if they do not, there could be a work stoppage as early as Sept. 11, three games into the football season.

A teacher's strike would not just send students home from school just as they begin fall classes. It could also leave athletes not just out of the classroom, but from the field of play.

All fall sports teams began officially practicing August 8. They include football, boys’ and girls’ golf, field hockey, boys’ and girls’ cross country, boys’ soccer and girls’ tennis. All, with the exception of football, have begun playing games. The Scout football team entertains Buffalo Grove at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

According to the Illinois High School Association bylaws, in the event of a teachers’ strike, "no team or other entity representing a member school may participate in an interscholastic contest or activity during the time the member school is not in session".

This could be interpreted as saying teams cannot practice or play games if there is no school. But Illinois High School Association communications director Matt Troha said that is not the case.

"They can hold practices as long as the school administration and school board approve and licensed coaches can continue to coach," Troha said, adding that sometimes the teacher's union will not let coaches mentor players if they are also teachers.

Not all coaches are faculty members while others, like Scout football coach Chuck Spagnoli, is a member of the faculty. He had no comment when questioned by Patch. 

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