Goose Creek Lawmaker: New SCHSL Rule Is 'Lipstick on a Pig'

Goose Creek lawmakers will continue a path to place S.C. High School League under the authority of the S.C. Department of Education despite the league's recent rules amendments, according to S.C. Sen. Larry Grooms.

The league made the rule changes this past weekend in response to the controversy surrounding a 2012 . The amendments included the creation of an appeals committee, and creation of four levels of violations — accounting for different punishments for different actions. Teams self reporting infractions, as exemplified by the Gators, will have a more favorable punishment and won't automatically forfeit all games. 

But the amendments have done little to ease legislator concerns, and a bill in the S.C. House will be taken up next week. The bill would place the league under the direction of the S.C. Department of Education.

"Most of the folks I speak to up here think that's nothing but putting lipstick on the pig. The pig is still ugly and that doesn't change anything. They've got major problems," Grooms told Patch. "We're going to be moving forward to transfer all authority over to S.C. Department of Education."

Lawmakers had requested SCHSL make specific changes, and the new amendments don't take in account two key requests: geographical representation and due-process rights, according to Grooms. While the creation of an appeals committee appears to satisfy that request, Grooms said it's still a group of people hand-picked by the executive director. 

"Putting in a 'yes committee' to say you're right doesn't cut it," Grooms said. "The only way I think they will be accountable will be under the state department of education."

Grooms said accumulating power on the state Board of Education, and therefore high school sports, will be difficult since board members have term limits and have transparency. 

Once the bill makes it out of the House, it will go to the Senate. There, Grooms said he believes it will have enough votes to pass.