Last week, Gov. Tom Wolf made an out-of-nowhere suggestion that scholastic sports be postponed until a minimum of Jan. 1.
Not only has Wolf stopped working to read it, however he likewise essentially said it wasnt worth his time.
Equally galling were Wolfs follow-up remarks Thursday in York. The guv waited his suggestion while confessing he still hasnt read the reaction from the PIAA.
Comically, a few minutes later on, Wolf explained himself as “having an open mind.”
” Im unsure what they might say that would make me alter my sense of what I believe is the right thing to do,” Wolf stated.
TribLIVEs Daily and Weekly e-mail newsletters provide the news you want and info you require, right to your inbox.
Similarly humorous is Wolfs effort to disassociate the importance of his task from his suggestion.
” I recognize that Im simply one individual,” Wolf said. “Maybe Im governor, however Im one individual that has an opinion.”
TribLIVEs Chris Harlan joined me for Fridays “Breakfast With Benz” podcast. He states that letter was offered to the guv previously in the week.
The PIAA didnt understand that statement was coming. Wolf provided no context for how his office pertained to that choice. And he presented no description for the reasoning behind the timeline.
Moreover, the previous week, the PIAA board of directors had simply decided to proceed with the start of fall sports as set up.
Governor is the essential part to that sentence, ya understand?
Here is among the Governors comments about sports … pic.twitter.com/trXD6fNDmS.
— Bob Greenburg (@BobGreenburg) August 13, 2020.
Since “recommendation” makes it informal, like hes not the one making the choice. Like he can shift the obligation to the private school boards, the PIAA or different conferences around the state.
By the method, you arent “simply a single person.” Your health department and education department have already backed you up. You are one individual with 2 major government companies supporting your policy.
” I also recommended this summer season that Pennsylvanians prevent going to the Jersey Shore. Im sorry, thats my suggestion. You do what you want, and school districts are going to do what they desire,” Wolf shrugged.
You can hear my whole podcast with Harlan here.
Parents of the first backup punter who does not get playing time on high school football group “X” and contracts coronavirus will take that school board (and district) to court so quick, the lawyers will not have the ability to line up quickly enough to say, “Negligence! Negligence! They had a state suggestion! They overlooked it and played anyhow!”.
Wolf provided no context for how his workplace came to that choice. Wolf is likewise frequently playing that semantics game. You do what you want, and school districts are going to do what they desire,” Wolf shrugged.
The impossibility to socially distance in a school setting. I comprehend Wolfs issue.
Stop playing video games, Governor. And you understand it. Your “recommendation” matters much more than a lot of.
Please! Who is this guy joking? The number of school boards are actually going to open themselves up to the legal liability of operating in direct opposition to the governor and the departments of health and education.
– – -.
Sorry. Not “policy.” I understand, its just a “suggestion.”.
If Wolf wants to talk about whether high school basketball, soccer or football are safe enough to play, lets argument that.
Of all, no one is prioritizing sports over education. The questions are about trying to sculpt out methods for them to exist together under the circumstances. We have enough genuine arguments without Wolf creating a strawman.
We have enough genuine arguments without Wolf developing a strawman.
However I do know its worth a sincere discussion. Something that does not appear to interest “Tom from York County.”.
Which Jersey Shore analogy is so dumb I can barely summon up a response. Ill just state anyone who went to the Jersey Shore isnt going to sue themselves if they get coronavirus.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review personnel writer. All emails are subject to publication unless defined otherwise.
As much as I wish to see scholastic football and other sports occur for the kids, I do not know for sure its possible either.
Sure. It was simply a suggestion. It might as well have actually been a bill signed into law.
More Breakfast With Benz Stories.
Psst! Mr. Governor, you can contend without fans. Keep in mind?!?
The coup de grâce of Wolfs address was this absurd validation for why cross country is an example of a fall sport that was too risky of a competitors.
TribLIVEs Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and info you need, right to your inbox.
No, Governor. They arent going to do what they desire. They are going to do what keeps them from presuming whopping legal exposure.
Categories:.
Top Stories.
Lets argument that if Wolf wants to talk about whether high school football, basketball or soccer are safe adequate to play. However digging in his heels over cross nation? Thats simply a person more concerned about being right than making sense.
And it may too have been a cancellation notification for high school sports this fall. Wolf is pretending thats not the case.
Wolf is also regularly playing that semantics game. He catches himself before he says anything like “policy” or “declaration” or “decree.” Hell parse between “suggestion” and “regulation.”.
So despite the fact that high school cross nation satisfies in York are, obviously, as greatly participated in as the surface line at the New York City Marathon, the guv does not require to fret.
