Penn State football parents send letter demanding answers from Big Ten’s Kevin Warren, PSU president Barron
Barron #Barron
Eighty-two parents of Penn State football players signed a letter demanding answers from Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren and university president Eric Barro regarding specifics about why the 2020 fall sports season was postponed.
Sent Saturday night, it also requests that the schedule released Aug. 5 be put back into place and that a response comes within five days.
Parents at Ohio State and Iowa, among other conference schools, have sent similar letters to try and learn what exact health and safety data was used to make the decision to not play amid the coronavirus pandemic. After postponing the season last Tuesday, Warren pointed to a number of factors, including uncertainty about the unknowns, both short term and long term, related to COVID-19.
The Penn State football parents association letter can be read in full below:
Dear Commissioner Warren and President Barron:
On August 5th when the Big Ten Football schedule for the Fall of 2020 was released you said, “I have a son who’s a football student-athlete in the SEC at Mississippi State. And, so, I’ve asked myself as a father, would I be comfortable for him to participate in the Big Ten based upon the testing policies, protocols and procedures we have in place? And as of today, the answer is yes.” We, the undersigned parents of Penn State Football believed you. Additionally, we trusted our coaches along with the medical staff at our University and the procedures they put in place to ensure the physical and social-emotional well being of the players in the pursuit of competing in the Fall of 2020. We want to know what changed in six days and why was this decision rushed before the Big Ten Conference and the NCAA could answer some of the most basic questions regarding the futures of these student-athletes.
On Tuesday August 11th The Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Disease and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee cited ongoing health concerns of Covid 19 as the reason to cancel to protect the students, faculty, and staff at the Big Ten Universities. However, in the coming weeks, these same institutions will welcome back tens of thousands of students. This student population will gather, socialize and live in communal settings.
The Penn State University Athletic Department in conjunction with the Football Medical and Training staffs have led the nation in ensuring the safety of the players, our sons, the coaches and support staff over the last two months. Our sons were regularly tested and contact tracing protocols were developed to ensure player safety as well as parent confidence A small number of athletes were quarantined and isolated as an appropriate response to a positive test result. As of the last testing release on Wednesday August 12th, ZERO Penn State athletes tested positive for Covid 19. This is proof that minimal risk for the virus can be achieved. We believe that these young men and women are being cared for both physically and mentally in a manner that cannot be replicated in their own communities. Our athletes are elite not only in their performance on the field, but in their health status and medical care. The CDC uses 19-29 year olds as the benchmark for fatality comparison. The fatality rate for that group is .1% with the preponderance of fatalities in individuals with comorbid conditions. As parents we deserve answers as to whether these decisions are based on science or the avoidance of liability.
With the untimely cancelation of the season student-athletes and their parents are left with unanswered questions. As a result we request the following:
A clear presentation of the medical information used by The Big Ten Task Force in the decision to cancel to the Fall 2020 season.
A reinstatement of the schedule as presented on August 5th with open dates used as new dates for games as needed.
A Zoom meeting with our parents to answer questions regarding eligibility including the status of 5th year seniors and players who chose to opt out of competition in 2020.
The Big Ten and other Power 5 Universities have committed to putting in the financial resources and time needed to get it right. They have succeeded. Why can’t we at least try to have a season? The players want to play. They are concerned about the financial impact on the State College community that they call “home”. We should not cancel the season out of fear, but rather look fear in the face, continue to adhere to the safety protocols put in place and make the attempt at a FALL season. Our expectation is that we have a response from you in the next 5 days. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully submitted,
Dianne Freiermuth
John Freiermuth
Mike Farronato
Angela Farronato
Jeff Weller
Carol Weller
Scott Pinegar
Rico Smith
John Griffin
Nea Griffin
Roderick Brown
Ken Stoll
Kelly Stoll
Mike Levis
Beth Levis
John Clifford
Kelly Burke
Arlene George
Andy Friberg
Diana Friberg
Bruce Vasey
Shelley Vasey
Mike Christ
Lori Christ
Buffy Brown-Harris
Jason Lutz
Tiffany Lutz
Al Dotson
Robin Dotson
LaBaron Dixon
Rosalyn Dixon
Rod Wilson
Michelle Wilson
Rodney Stout
Kim Stout
Lavalius Gordon
Tanya Gordon
Ray Miranda
Teresa Miranda
Walter Simmons
Jennifer Simmons
Sam Mustipher
Tricia Mustipher
Terrence Cain
Frank Costantini
Tina Costantini
Jim Effner
Chuck Gresham
Kathyn Gresham
Greg Kashir
Tracy Katshir
Tim Wright
Jean Wright
Fred Hansard
Dr. Charles Wallace
Dr. Paryn Wallace
Roberta Whigam
Christopher Washington
Jennifer Washington
Brian Chizmar
Brian Menet
Frank Forrest
Ruth Forrest
Greg King
Deana King
Anthony Fashanu
Paige Fashanu
Kelly French
Steve Hartlaub
Stephanie Hartlaub
Tim Presta
Christine Boyle
Muriel Grant-Hernandez
Harold Fries
Maureen Fries
Carlton Wade
Joey Porter
Christy Porter
Jim Fessler
Alison Fessler
Bruce Ellis
Joy Ingram
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