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“I’m going to Disney World”

But first, some advice for the Beren basketball boys

by
Dan Klein
March 05, 2012

The Jewish Hoosiers of Houston at Beren Academy lost by four points in the state finals of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial schools, but only after the high school sports league backed down under enormous national and local pressure. Now editors across the country are realizing that they just spent a week covering a high school basketball game.

Like Ron Kaplan I’m a bit uncertain about whether I’d prefer if they’d played or done a Sandy Koufax—since they wanted to, I’m handing it to play—I do have a suggestion of what they should do next: Quit.

This isn’t the first time that TAPPS has shown a problem with non-Christian schools. The TAPPS board refused to let applying Islamic high schools join the league, and subjected them to a disgusting religious test (If you want to restore your faith in humanity, read this letter from a dissenting school). It’s only a difference of degree from not being able to play because of your religious practice, and not being allowed to play because of your religion.

TAPPS shouldn’t be able to point to an ill-treated Jewish school to show their tolerance. These kids have shown a lot of character, but winners sometimes quit.