Vote left Evans no comfort

On Monday in Forsyth, representatives from Evans High School were led like lambs to the slaughter, and the Georgia High School Association executive committee wielded the bloody blade.

Before the committee voted 33-13 against adding an isolation policy to the GHSA constitution, the members filed into a meeting room inside the Holiday Inn and walked unwittingly past an open book.

The Holy Bible was turned to Ecclesiastes, but no one took time to read the words of wisdom.

"And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them. On the side of their oppressors was power ..."

The GHSA held the power, and Evans received no comfort.

There is nothing new under the sun - Evans originally was placed in its predicament when the GSHA increased from four to five classifications, which left Evans as the only Class AAAAA school within 120 miles of Columbia County.

"So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should enjoy his work, for that is his lot ..."

The coaching staff and athletes at Evans work hard, yet their joy has been taken away by the GHSA, and their lot is constant road trips to compete against Atlanta-area teams.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil."

Statesboro and Burke County high schools presented a case against isolation before the vote. Their concerns centered on competition - as members of Region 3-AAAA, the region Evans wanted to enter had isolation been passed, they were scared of being beaten by a larger school.

The overwhelming vote against isolation rewarded Statesboro and Burke for their toil and may send Evans High on a road to athletic disaster, both economically and academically.

"Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness ..."

The executive committee decided that isolation would create problems statewide, so the problems of one school didn't mean much to the voters.

Perhaps it was easy to overlook the word of God placed inconspicuously on a table at the Holiday Inn, but the executive committee is supposed to live by the words contained in the GHSA Constitution and By-Laws, which is known as "The White Bible."

On page 11, Article II states: "The objective of the organization shall be the promotion of education in Georgia from a mental, physical and moral viewpoint, to standardize and encourage participation in athletics, to promote sportsmanship and an appreciation for and study of music, speech, and other fine arts through Region and State competitions."

Unless the GHSA acts to correct the untenable situation at Evans, those words are as meaningless as an unheeded Bible verse.