High School scraps team trip to Arizona

Highland Park High School scraps team trip to Arizona

Reveling in its first conference championship in 26 years, the Highland Park High School girls varsity basketball team has been selling cookies for months to raise funds for a tournament in Arizona. But those hoop dreams were dashed when players learned they couldn't go because of that state's new crackdown on illegal immigrants. Safety concerns partly fueled the decision, but the trip also "would not be aligned with our beliefs and values," said District 113 Assistant Superintendent Suzan Hebson. That explanation, though, smacks of political protest to parents upset by the decision. The news, which was broken to the team Monday by coach Jolie Bechtel, comes as critics of Arizona's controversial law call on professional athletes and others to boycott the state. Last month a New York congressman asked Major League Baseball to pull next year's All-Star Game from Phoenix, and protesters recently picketed Wrigley Field when the Arizona Diamondbacks played the Cubs. But tossing a high school team into the heated debate has left parents and players baffled and angry. "Why are we mixing politics and a basketball tournament?" said Michael Evans, whose daughter Lauren is a junior on the team. "It's outrageous that they're doing this under the guise of safety."

Source

I think this is absolutely ridiculous. Protesting the legislation under the guise of student safety is preposterous. K your turn.

EDIT TO ADD: I did not intend to start yet another debate about whether or not you agree with the AZ law. I want to know if people here think the Admin who decided these girls were not allowed to go to AZ for a basketball game was out of line.

[edit on 13-5-2010 by Raustin]

[edit on 13-5-2010 by Raustin]

I think very soon all of these high and mighty opponents of AZ's illegal immigration stance who are politicizing everything from interstate commerce to MLB to now, high school basketball games, are going to be on the receiving end of a nasty backlash that they never see coming... and it will make me smile when they do.

I can understand that the school district would be worried that gangs of illegal drug runners might harm the girls. Or that they might be kidnapped by enforcers from the drug cartels that run rampant and roughshod across our border with Mexico.

reply to post by Raustin


All of their opponents should protest all of their wins!

If they are afraid to go to Arizona, then obviously they have something to hide. Maybe some forged documents, some lies about ages, some illegal students? Sounds like a case of Cuban or Chinese athletes lying about their ages.

The cancellation of this trip should reverbate through their entire season and school administration.

Yet more evidence that the Arizona law is the most effective law in the land at this time! Way to go AZ!

Is it just me or what?

In general,

If someone ask you to respect their decision, for a immigrationlaw, a tradition, a religion, or what ever, a schooltrip, a state-boycot or what ever, shouldn't you expect that they would respect the other party as well???

Probably I'm just being a dumbass again...

Oh well happy me...

reply to post by Legion2112


It will make me smile as well. I don't care if you agree with AZ or not, but boycotting is only going to hurt honest hard working people. Or in this case, high school girls. Shameful political statement in my opinion.

from the original article; [ the trip also "would not be aligned with our beliefs and values,"]

yet they've been to China and South America. Safe places with great values? I think it wreaks of "extra stupid" when you involve/impact kids with these kind of policy "statements".

You reap what you sow.

Arizona is paying for passing a racist law...and I am smiling right now watching them suffer the consequences.

I'll be watching for that "backlash"...along with "hyperinflation", "a revolution", "a double dip recession", and a host of other things conservaties try to use for fear mongering.

reply to post by Raustin



Agreed. Personally, I support the legislation... but if you don't, that's your right and I can appreciate that. To politicize the issue though, to the point where you deny high school kids the right to enjoy something they've worked so hard for is beyond contempt... as is further damaging your own broken economy by calling for a boycott of an entire state (Los Angeles). Many more examples to choose from, but eventually they will come back to bite these overly P.C. George Clooneyites in the ass... especially when you consider that Arizona might actually wind up coming out ahead in all this nonsense.

The safety issue is a good point, but it is a potentially deadly consideration with or without the Arizona law. All the Arizona law does is confront that consideration. As a political statement, it is a**holeian. It makes me sick to see kids used as pawns whether it is in a divorce, anchor babies, or a case like this. "THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

How much do you think the risk of violence is affecting border areas anyway with regards to tourism? The Arizona law is a step in the right direction to restore peace & security, even if it causes some unrest in between.


ETA clarification: As a political statement- calling for a boycott of Arizona is...

[edit on 14-5-2010 by DogsDogsDogs]

reply to post by OutKast Searcher


Well the only group I see being hurt by this is the girls bball team. What exactly did they do to deserve this?

reply to post by OutKast Searcher


Yay! The Open Borders To Illegals lobby finally showed up! I was getting concerned for a moment...

Say what you will Outkast, but IMO California's crippled economy stands to lose a helluva lot more than AZ over this. Besides, I've heard rumblings from states looking to enact their own illegal immigrant legislation (such as my own) that the slack left from L.A.'s temper tantrum will be picked up by others. Might be a bumpy road in the interim, but with numbers showing an increasing support for states doing the job of the Feds I think in the end the only people that are going to be hurting are the ones like politicians in Kalifornia who crap all over their constituents to make a political statement...

... and idiotic school representatives who opt for political trolling over their students...


[edit on 13-5-2010 by Legion2112]

My small manufacturing and design studio does a fair amount of business in AZ.
An my GF usually goes with me when I make calls on clients there and we love the landscape around Sedona and the Golf courses in Scottsdale.
She isn't Hispanic, but dark complected and WE have decided to forgo any
business trips to AZ because we just don't need the hassle of dealing with the cops. We are blessed to have a product that can be appreciated everywhere.
Perhaps this summer our business trips will take us to the Colorado Rockies.

Perhaps there were Hispanic girls on the Bball team. I don't blame them. Life is confrontational enough as it is without bringing racial profiling into the mix.



[edit on 13-5-2010 by whaaa]

reply to post by whaaa


See, this right here is a perfect example of how people will ultimately wind up cutting off their noses to spite their face.

You do know that the legislation in question was amended, yes? You do know that questions of citizenship on the part of LEOs in AZ can only come after the commission of another crime, yes? That, for example, they would have to have probable cause that someone was an illegal after they pulled you over for speeding?

Originally posted by Legion2112
reply to post by whaaa

 

See, this right here is a perfect example of how people will ultimately wind up cutting off their noses to spite their face.

You do know that the legislation in question was amended, yes? You do know that questions of citizenship on the part of LEOs in AZ can only come after the commission of another crime, yes? That, for example, they would have to have probable cause that someone was an illegal after they pulled you over for speeding?

No nose surgery here!!

Don't you get it? It's a political statement. WE don't need Arizona. Most of our sales are on the Coasts anyway.

Run your business your way and I'll run mine the way I see fit. Deal?




[edit on 13-5-2010 by whaaa]

reply to post by whaaa


Well I disagree with your political statement but you have every right to make that choice. I don't think administrators should be making those choices for high school athletes though.

reply to post by whaaa


Then why did you say it was because dealing with the cops in AZ would be a hassle for your girlfriend, sparky? If it's a political statement just say so

If you want to protest by denying your wares to AZ that's your right... as it will be the right of whoever else wants to fill that particular niche to take your place... with a lot more people supporting this bill than you boycotters thought, I don't think it'll be that hard...

[edit on 13-5-2010 by Legion2112]

reply to post by Raustin


I hope they fire whoever decided to let their political opinions interfere with school business.

reply to post by OutKast Searcher


since that "racist" law is almost a mirror image of the federal law that is impotent because it's not enforced... I think it's more of a "responsible" law by a concerned governor trying to gain control of a huge problem. 60% of Americans are supportive of this law.
you can read here

www.politicsdaily.com...

and here

news.yahoo.com...

and here

www.rasmussenreports.com... n_status

I would gladly show my status if I was a legal immigrant (a federal requirement btw) if I was pulled over. What are people afraid of? What is so offensive? If you're legal.... you're legal.