SC High School League panel shows supports for Gray Collegiate amid appeal of fines

South Carolina high school league’s latest appeals meeting turned into another debate about athletics and the impact of public charter schools.

This time, however, there was support for such schools as Gray Collegiate Academy and a desire expressed to move on from a debate that has dominated sports discussions in the state over the last five or more years.

The four-member panel voted 4-0 in favor of Airport High School’s fine appeal to be dropped from $500 to $2. Committee members, however, also tried to send a message to the school and others in the region that refuse to play Gray Collegiate in junior varsity contests.

“I’m going to be with y’all on your appeal but you are doing the wrong thing,” panel member Otis Rawl said. “That is how I feel and not how everyone else feels…. When the high school league let Gray in, they became a bonafide member just like anyone else. They deserve all the considerations like any other school has.”

Panel member Bob Davis backed Rawl’s statement and both talked about the end of the SC High School League and putting it in the state’s legislative hands if this behavior against public charter schools continues.

“People in my district are really dissatisfied with how people are wanting to treat charter schools. You are putting nail in the coffin,” Davs said. “.... There is a plan out there and I have seen it on paper to do away with the high school league and guess what there are no coaches and principals on it. Do you want that? This (charter schools) isn’t going away. Regardless of whether you like or dislike them, it has no bearing.

“And if we as a league can’t figure that out, we may not have a league.”

The appellate panel’s meeting comes a week after the SCHSL executive committee voted to reduce Lexington Two schools Airport and Brookland-Cayce fines for not playing Gray Collegiate in junior varsity football games. The SCHSL fined both schools $2,500 but Airport’s fine was reduced from $500 and Brookland-Cayce was dropped to $2.

B-C athletic director Rusty Charpia, in explaining Brookland-Cayce’s reasoning for not playing the JV games, sounded off on Gray Collegiate and what he described as the negative impacts the public charter school has on the Bearcats’ ability to field competitive athletic teams.

During Thursday’s meeting Rawl asked Airport athletic director Shane Fidler point blank why his school doesn’t play the War Eagles in subvarsity games.

“Subvarsity is developmental and we chose to develop our subvarsity against who we can develop against,” Fiddler said.

“Are you being truthful with me because I don’t think so,” Rawl replied. Fidler grinned and didn’t reply.

Later in the meeting Fidler and Airport officials were again asked about why they didn’t play Gray in subvarsity games and other members in the region.

“It is not in our best interest at this time for Airport High School,” Airport principal Matt Schillit said.

Gray Collegiate athletic director Kevin Heise was present during Thursday’s hearing. He said he wasn’t disappointed about Airport and B-C not playing them but rather the timing of it.

Heise found out in August that they weren’t playing them in subvarsity contests.

“If you aren’t going to play us, don’t play us. This was premeditated and calculated,” Heise said.