MSHSAA responds to Missouri Attorney General, Auditor investigation into discrimination
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KQTV) -- Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick announced an investigation into the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) in a Tuesday press release.
The investigation comes after Fitzpatrick sent a detailed letter to Hanaway, outlining an alleged MSHSAA policy, barring certain individuals from serving on the board solely because of their race or sex.
“Missouri does not tolerate race-based or sex-based discrimination, period,” said Hanaway in a press release. “No organization that governs our public schools and our children’s activities can operate under an immoral system that tells someone they are the wrong race or the wrong sex for leadership. My Office will be moving forward with an investigation, and we will ensure Missouri students are served by leaders chosen for merit, not the color of their skin.”
According to Fitzpatrick, a review conducted by his office uncovered that a whistleblower, who is both white and male, was informed he is not eligible for an at-large board position.
In written correspondence, MSHSAA cited Article IV, Section 2.b.2 of its constitution, which requires at-large seats to be filled by a candidate representing “the underrepresented gender of the current Board, or an underrepresented ethnicity. At-large members of the Board of Directors shall meet the same qualifications as described in number 1 above.”
MSHSAA is a statewide nonprofit organization governing interscholastic sports and activities for over 700 Missouri junior and senior high schools, impacting over 200,000 students through eligibility rules, athletic standards and regulatory authority.
MSHSAA released a statement Wednesday saying it "was not contacted by the Attorney General's Office prior to yesterday's public announcement."
The organization also said it's composed of more than 700 member schools that choose each year to affiliate with MSHSAA. The member schools adopt and amend the MSHSAA Constitution through a statewide democratic process.
MSHSAA's press release explains that member schools voted to create two at-large board positions designed to support strong governance and better reflect the students and school communities it serves.
The aforementioned constitutional provision has been in place for over 20 years and "has always been fully transparent," according to MSHSAA.
