MORGAN PARK — The parents of the top-ranked Morgan Park's boys basketball team say their sons will boycott an upcoming game against Simeon, and said that Chicago Public Schools latest plans to move it to yet another gym will not necessarily appease their concerns about the poor state of the school's gym.
The parents issued a statement Wednesday saying their sons planned to boycott or forfeit Saturday's game against Simeon, which was supposed to be a home game for Morgan Park but was scheduled to be played at Little Village High School, 3120 S. Kostner Ave. The game was moved because organizers said the Morgan Park gym was too small to accommodate expected crowds, and the parents said they were upset that despite years of concerns the gym has yet to be upgraded or made larger.
By Thursday morning the school said there had been a compromise, and Morgan Park faculty announced the game would be moved to Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep Academy, 250 E. 111th St. The game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Saturday and tickets are on sale at Morgan Park High School.
But the parents on Thursday said CPS had still not reached out to them. They said their sons still plan to boycott the game, even if it's at Brooks.
"We stated that we wanted Morgan Park," said Tiffany Burrell, a spokeswoman for the parents. "They have not even called us to even discuss those options. That's why we're still saying that it's Morgan Park or nothing."
Even if CPS does reach out to the parents, Burrell said, she doesn't know they'll agree to playing the game at Brooks. They would have to talk that over as a group, she said.
On Wednesday, the parents said they would only allow their sons to play if it was held at their home gym: "We will not allow our boys to play in the Morgan Park and Simeon game this Saturday, scheduled to be played at Little Village High School at 1 p.m. if we do not play in our own gym, and if we have not received a response by close of business on Jan. 14, 2016, we will advise our sons not to play this Saturday."
The statement noted the importance of the game to Morgan Park and Beverly.
"This game generates much needed morale and revenue for the community and moving it to another community at the last minute is disrespectful to the Morgan Park/Beverly community," the parents said.
"Sometimes we need to do what is right for our youth instead of what’s easy for adults. We are pleading that someone, somewhere will help us take a stand for our children. Our home games, no matter how small our gym, should be played at home."
Thomas Smith, the CPS director of sports administration, had told DNAinfo on Wednesday that CPS planned to address parents' concerns, but he declined to say what the district planned to do.
The gym at Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep is in Roseland.
The Sun-Times obtained a statement Wednesday night from CPS that said: “Due to the high profile of this matchup, CPS is working with school officials to secure an appropriate venue that will safely accommodate community interest and fans of both sides.”
Due to the size of Morgan Park's gym, home games against schools that have a large following are often moved to another location in order to accommodate larger crowds.
In recent years, the games between Morgan Park and Simeon, dubbed "The Battle of Vincennes" — because both schools are on Vincennes Avenue on the South Side — are often played at Chicago State University in Roseland or Whitney Young College Prep High School on the Near West Side.
The parents noted in their statement that the average student GPA of the Morgan Park players is 3.0.
"These young men are truly student-athletes and should be rewarded. However, this gym is not only a necessity for the basketball team but for all students and other sports programs. How can we expect to compete with other schools if we cannot provide basic amenities to attract community children?"
The parents said they were upset by other schools getting money for upgrades when Morgan Park hasn't, including in 2014 when Walter Payton College Prep received $17 million in Tax Increment Financing funds to build 11 classrooms, a new gym and a fitness room and a "black box" theater. Later that year, Morgan Park's basketball team wore T-shirts that said "We Need A Gym" during pregame warmups in a "home game" vs. Simeon at Whitney Young.
"How can Walter Payton College Prep, a school built in 2000, receive $17 million of taxpayer money to have an extension built which will include a brand new gymnasium, and Morgan Park, built in 1916, receives nothing even though we have been asking for a new gym for seven years? We refuse to continue to be overlooked!" the statement from the parents said.
Morgan Park's basketball coach Nick Irvin and school principal Carolyn Epps were unavailable for comment.
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