High School Leaders at Odds Over Football Playoffs

Louisiana's high schools leaders are clashing over new plans for football playoffs.

A decision by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association will separate traditional public school football playoffs from those held by private, magnet and charter schools.

Public school principals who pushed the separation told lawmakers Tuesday that the other schools have unfair rules that allow them to cherry-pick the kinds of students — and football players — they take.

Leaders of the private and charter schools say the change is a form of segregation that undercuts the state's move toward giving parents educational choice. They say the split playoff system tells students if they don't win, they can just change the rules to favor them.

Lawmakers created a special high school athletics committee to review the recent LHSAA decision.