Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Dr. Nikoli Vitti is calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan High School Athletic Association to reinstate high school football this fall.
Vitti sent a letter to Whitmer and MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl that outlined several reasons he believes football should be played.
"As you know, football is more than a sport. It is most often a life changing experience that develops community, leadership, purpose, and meaning. For many of our student-athletes, it is the reason to wake up in the morning and go to school, maintain better grades, and stay out of trouble. Depression is setting in for too many of our athletes. They are suffering from the loss of structured activities. If high school football players are playing throughout the country, and in the region, so should ours," he wrote.
He also mentioned other states around Michigan with similar COVID-19 rates that are playing high school football.
"Factually, nothing changed from a player’s health perspective or risk analysis from strongly stating football would be played to it being postponed. This has led everyone, including myself, to believe politics were played and that the MHSAA abdicated its responsibility to make athletic decisions and instead deferred to the Governor in closed door conversations instead of supporting student-athletes, coaches, and their families," he added.
A protest is scheduled in Lansing on Friday afternoon as parents and students rally for football to be played.
Call to Reinstate Football in the Fall by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
