Private schools downsizing on purpose

Many private schools in Oklahoma are shrinking their district boundaries. They’re doing so in order to lessen concerns about how the sizes of some private school districts aid these schools in athletics. This won’t keep critics from alleging that these schools have an unfair advantage over public schools, or that they recruit their best athletes. A popular target of such claims lately has been Bishop McGuinness High School in Oklahoma City, which won eight state championships last school year. Some of those came in sports where it has traditionally been strong, such as girls tennis and girls cross country. But the baseball and football titles were only the second in the 58-year history of the school, and the championship in boys golf was McGuinness’ first. Athletic director Gary Savely said it best: “We weren’t hearing a whole lot about any advantages when we weren’t winning.” Still, this good-faith effort by the private schools is commendable.

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