Union, NJ football team protests COVID cancelled playoff game

UNION TOWNSHIP (Union) — A playoff football game cancellation after several athletes tested positive for COVID-19 has spurred days of rallying led by the disappointed high school team.

Union Township High School was poised to face Paterson Eastside High School when routine, required testing of non-vaccinated players on Thursday evening turned up four confirmed cases.

Union Schools Superintendent Scott Taylor had submitted the school’s notice of forfeiture, before meeting with players on Friday.

petition

On Sunday, Taylor said on Twitter that he had directed a request to “file an appeal for emergent relief,” from the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association — but that was declined. Now, members of the team are criticizing the superintendent’s initial decision, questioning how many other school and health officials were involved in giving input. “NJSIAA will not delay or modify any state tournament schedule for a team that cannot participate due to COVID-19 issues,” according to a mid-September update on policy given by the state’s governing body for high school sports, as

reported said

He delivering video statements on behalf of his fellow athletes over the weekend and on Monday morning, when a few hundred students walked out of class in protest over the missed playoff game.

Taylor said that he had made the call to forfeit after checking with Union and Paterson health officials and his own administrative team, as reported by NJ.com.

Igbinosun has repeatedly voiced the team's collective frustration that student-athletes who tested negative were cleared to attend school on Friday, yet were not given the chance to play against Eastside that evening.

“Gentlemen, you have made an entire community PROUD! As adults this situation is difficult, but as the actual men that put in the work we can only imagine,” a tweet from the Union High School Athletics Department account said on Monday.

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