WPIAL schools start allowing more spectators as governor’s limits become voluntary

By: Chris Harlan
Tuesday, September 22, 2020 | 5:00 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Gov. Tom Wolf would prefer schools adhere to his gathering limits at sports events, but acknowledged Tuesday they’re not legally binding “at least for the moment.”

A week ago, the state’s gathering limits of 250 individuals outdoors and 25 indoors were ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. On Tuesday, a request from the governor to stay that ruling was denied, clearing the way for larger crowds statewide — including inside football stadiums.

Wolf has said those gathering limits prevent coronavirus spread.

Asked Tuesday if schools now can surpass the 250- and 25-person limits, Wolf said: “I’m not a lawyer but since the stay was turned down, it sounds like at least for the moment, I guess, that court ruling stands.”

A number of schools already are planning to allow an increased number of spectators.

In a letter sent Tuesday to parents, Mars superintendent Mark Gross laid out a detailed plan to allow spectators at all sporting events including football and girls volleyball, the two most heavily impacted by the governor’s limits.

Every Mars football player, cheerleader and band member will receive three tickets for the football game. Visiting teams receive two tickets per player. Girls volleyball players on both the home and visiting teams get two tickets. Soccer players on each team receive four tickets.

“The district’s modified restrictions, which take effect immediately, allow for additional spectators at sporting and other events, while maintaining social distancing to the maximum extent possible,” Gross said.

Face coverings are still required.

Among the other WPIAL schools that made changes, Hempfield plans to allow two football tickets for every player, cheerleader and band member. That puts between 1,000 and 1,100 spectators in the Spartans’ stadium.

Wolf and state Health Secretary Rachel Levine urged schools to use caution. The two answered questions Tuesday at an unrelated press conference.

“The guidance is: ‘Be careful,’” Wolf said. “It’s sort of like anything else when you get with other people. The more you do that, the closer in contact you are … the more probable it is you’re going to get the virus. Right now, the court simply ruled that the 250 max isn’t constitutionally correct. Who knows what the right number is? All I know is, when you bring people together, the covid virus finds it easier to infect other people.”

He added that many schools have voluntarily adhered to the 250-person limits.

“Over this past weekend when that limit had been thrown out and they hadn’t made a decision on the stay at that point, people still self-regulated,” Wolf said. “They said we’re just not going to show up, and so we didn’t seem to have much of an issue.”

The state Department of Education released a statement Friday encouraging schools “to voluntarily enforce the 25-person indoor and 250-person outdoor gathering limitations while all of us wait for the court to rule on the stay request.”

Levine said the administration is “very concerned” about larger crowds at events.

“That’s how the virus spreads,” Levine said, “and that’s how we see clusters and outbreaks.”

Wolf on Monday vetoed a bill that gave school districts authority to ignore the state restrictions and implement their own gathering limits for events. Lawmakers who sponsored House Bill 2787 are working to override that veto.

A veto override requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the state House and Senate. Republican lawmakers announced on Twitter that the House scheduled its override vote for Wednesday.

Gov. Wolf was asked today if schools now can legally admit more than 250 outdoors, 25 indoors at events since court ruled his limits unconstitutional.

“I’m not a lawyer but since the stay was turned down it seems like at least for now, I guess, that court ruling stands.”#HSSN pic.twitter.com/z00goDvmFJ

— Chris Harlan (@CHarlan_Trib) September 22, 2020

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.