All LAUSD sports activities to be canceled if teachers strike

Alondra Nuno

Casey Wanatick
Junior Cuyler Huffman prepares to throw the ball to his teammate at the BCCHS basketball against Palisades high School on Dec. 3.

As teachers within the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) prepare to strike on Jan. 14, all LAUSD high school sports activities will be canceled during the strike.

However, athletes at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School will not be affected as they play for teams apart of Birmingham Community Charter High School (BCCHS), which is not an LAUSD school.

“Class will continue for athletes sixth period,” Principal Deb Smith said. “All competitions during the work stoppage have been canceled.”

With seeding meetings for basketball and soccer set to Feb. 2, there is a possibility that the seeding will be unbalanced if the strike were to continue until then. Many teams could be left with unbalanced team standings, which would affect the number of games played and leave leagues cut short.

“Knowing that the strike will negatively affect students athletes including myself (leaves me with) mixed feelings,” junior varsity basketball player Cuyler Huffman said. “I also feel a little bit cheated because my teammates and I work really hard. And because of the lack of trust between the United Teachers Los Angeles union and LAUSD, our season will be cut short.”

Other full charter schools such as Granada Hills Charter High School and Palisades Charter High School will not be affected by the strike. They are planned to continue playing their scheduled games against schools not a part of LAUSD.

“Well since BCCHS is a charter school not many of our seasonal games are going to change,” varsity soccer player Rosalinda Nava said. “Even though some schools we play against are part of LAUSD, I think that by the time playoff dates are here everything will be fine.”