KERRYA. BENNINGHOFF 1 7IS'I' LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

110 MAIN CAPITOL Majority Leader f PO BOX 20217t I-IARRISBURG, PA 17I20.2 I7I Pf-lONEr (717) 783-1918 FAX: (7 t1) 782-2913 tr I4OW. HIGH STREET BELLEFONTE, PA I6823 E-MAIL: [email protected] PHONE: (814) 35s-1300 'iy'EB : kerrybenninghoff.com (814) FAX: 355-3523 nÍþyrwBrúatrfuBø tr 77N. MAIN STREET þnuw PO BOX 592 REEDSVILLE, PA I7084 Commonwealth of PHONE: (717) 667-l 175 Harrisburg FAX| ('71'1)667-6025

July 31,2020

Francis M. Majikes President, Board of Directors Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association 550 Gettysburg Road Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Dear Mr. Majikes:

We write today to ask that you reverse or modif,/ your decision to not allow spectators at Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PlAA)-sanctioned events during the fall athletic season.

As you know, interscholastic sports provide a unique opportunity for students to socialize,leam the importance of teamwork, and gain worldly experience outside of the classroom. In this regard, we are glad to see the PIAA pave the way for sports to open this fall.

However, without spectators---especially parents-able to watch their children and community members succeed on the field, something of the experience is lost. It should come as no surprise to you that parents in all ofour districts are irate and disheartened by your recent policy decision that precludes them from watching their children in-person during the fall athletic period.

The parents of these students have supported their children and, often times, the school sports team in various ways during the student's journey and there is a deep satisfaction from the ability to watch their loved ones compete in something they value.

While we understand that you feel constrained by the Governor's orders in this regard, we wish to remind you that PIAA is an independent agency that has the ability to think outside the box to come up with a commonsense solution that can allow both sports to proceed as normal while, at a minimum, allowing parents of sfudents to watch their loved ones in person.

At a time when folks have had the five-month long experience of social distancing and protecting themselves and others from a contagious virus, it makes no sense that people might be less safe sitting in the football stands or around the high school track at a soccer match, with appropriate modifications, than in the aisles of their local mega retailer. It has been reported that the PIAA remains open to changing its current no spectator policy at its August 26, 2020 meeting.

We would hope that if no accommodation can be made for the public at large to attend PIAA made for parents of students. events, that at least some modification"ruá@ffi be

Kerry Benninghoff Majority Leader I 7l't Legislative District

It ß*," Rosemary Brown Stephen Barrar I 89th Legislative District 58th Legislative District I 60th Legislative District

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Timotþ O'Neal II 48th Legislative District 6th Legislative District 62nd Legislative District t^Jl þ * c* Majority Policy Chair Kathleen Tomlinson 63'd Legislative District 87th Legislative District I 8tl' Legislative District f*na*¿rc

Tarah Toohil David Rowe I 16th Legislative District 85ú District 46th Legislative District Legislative

ãâ.r** ,Y' Francis X. Ryan Clinton Owlett I 0l't Legislative District 83'd Legislative District 68th Legislative District

David Zimmerman 99th Legislative District I 1Oth Legislative District 73'du Legislative District Paul schemmel iã. i;;ì;iu,i* Ur,ri", 90th Legislative District

CC: Tom Wolt Govemor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania