RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Virginia High School League sent out an announcement on Tuesday clarifying its guidance for non-instructional activities.
Essentially, VHSL said it will be up to local school boards to adopt safety protocols for extracurricular activities for athletes, coaches and spectators.
During the March Special Session, the General Assembly passed a new law that requires school boards to implement in-person instruction for the 2021-2022 school year. However, school boards will need to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.
VHSL said it consulted with its Legal Counsel and the Virginia Department of Education to see how this law applies to high school sports activities. They said the law explicitly addresses “in-person instruction.” Because of this, VHSL said it does not apply to extracurricular activities on school grounds.
As such, School Boards are not legally required to follow CDC guidelines for non-instructional activities.
