Indiana legislators consider return to single-class basketball tourney

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana High School Athletics Association is opposing a state Senate proposal aimed at forcing a return of the state’s old single-class basketball tournament.

The Senate’s education committee is holding a hearing Wednesday afternoon on a bill that includes that proposal, along with provisions to block school districts from starting their academic year before Labor Day and require the teaching of cursive writing.

IHSAA commissioner Bobby Cox says the current four-class system for boys and girls basketball tournaments in place since 1998 promotes fairness.

Some legislators failed in the 1990s to force at least a voter referendum on the tournament and the House in 2005 passed a resolution seeking the single-class tournament’s return.

A bill requiring the post-Labor Day school starting dates failed to clear the state Senate last year.