READING, Pa. – “I’m sure we’ll be revisiting this. Adjourned.”

That’s how Reading School Board President Robin Costenbader-Jacobson concluded a special virtual meeting of the board Wednesday night, when, with a 5-3 vote, members denied a motion to resume fall sports and extracurricular activities.

Board member Patricia Wright led the charge to reinstate the fall activities. In emotional, and sometimes tearful comments, she said she’s the mother of a junior in high school whom she was trying hard to keep off the streets.

“The streets want him bad,” she said.

Wright compared the risks of students catching COVID-19 to the shootings of three young people in the city in the last week, saying that students and parents are just asking for a chance.

“Give them a chance,” she said.

Wright also noted that there was a rally Wednesday afternoon of masked Reading students and parents on the steps of the high school that had not been acknowledged by the board.

“The kids are just asking to play,” she said.

Elijah Williams, a running back on the football team, thanked the board for reconsidering the ban.

“Our voices have been heard,” he said. “We just want a chance to go out and play again.”

Jamie Laws, an assistant football coach and Reading High grad, told the board that playing football at RHS allowed him to go to college on a football scholarship and earn a well-paying job in the private sector.

“I grew up in the ‘hood,'” he said. “If there was no football, I wouldn’t be here. It showed me skills and discipline I would need to succeed in life.”

Laws also said that until fall sports were ended in early August, the football team held voluntary practices using proper procedures and had no incidents of COVID-19.

Parent Cynthia Velez told board members that they did not prepare students and parents for the end of fall sports and other extracurricular activities.

“Before the decision, you should have taken us into consideration,” she said. “Since the vote, our house has been turned upside down.”

Board member Noahleen Betts, who voted to resume fall activities, said she struggled with her decision. She expected more than four people to come to the meeting.

“We need a commitment from parents, students, coaches and staff,” she said. “I’m taking a leap of faith and say, ‘Let them play.'”

Safety was the overwhelming reason the five board members voted against the motion to reopen fall activities.

“I’m a nurse,” Costenbader-Jacobson said. “I want to help people and not see them get sick.”

She also said the decision was not about popularity but making choices that, to some people, may not seem right.

“The positivity rate in the county is climbing upward,” said Becky Ellis, another board member who voted no on the motion. “I can’t, in good conscience, let students play.”

Ann Sheehan, who also voted no, tried to put the situation in perspective.

“It would be a terrible thing if kids got sick,” she said, “but this will pass. It’s not the end of the world.”