Representative Linda Chapa LaVia has been feeling the heat on this IHSA sham she has in place for this afternoon. Turns out, a staffer reached out to the IHSA and offered - if time permitted - the IHSA a chance for 'rebuttal'.
Yes...not testimony. Not an opportunity to speak their piece. Nope. A 'rebuttal'. Thus...confirming that this whole mess - orchestrated by State Representative Linda Chapa LaVia was rigged from the very beginning.
From the IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman on today's hearing:
“After the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced that it would not accept the invitation to attend the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee hearing scheduled for today (October 3), a committee spokesperson followed up on Wednesday and offered the IHSA an opportunity for a “rebuttal” at the conclusion of Friday’s hearing if time permitted.
We appreciate the committee’s recognition of the flaw in the format of this hearing and the small concession they were willing to make. However, the verbiage “rebuttal” reaffirms our belief that this hearing isn’t about gathering information and that the witnesses have likely been selected based upon what they will say about, and against, the IHSA.
Our suggestion to cancel Friday’s hearing, just as the July hearing was canceled, and rescheduling it with a more equitable format on a mutually agreeable date, time and location was not heeded.
The decision to not accept the invitation to attend this hearing was done with careful consideration and the offer for a rebuttal did not change our position on attending. We believe that a hearing of this nature should be about open conversation and honest dialogue with the affected stakeholders.
We believe that can and will occur, and remain open to it, whether it occurs in a hearing, or some other setting. We plan to review the hearing early next week and will respond if warranted.”
