Three west suburban parents filed a class-action lawsuit against the Illinois High School Association on Tuesday in DuPage County Court.

The suit alleges the process by which the IHSA changed the sports calendar in late July violated the IHSA’s own bylaws. Football and other sports deemed high risk were moved to a spring season due to COVID-19. The decision was made the IHSA’s board of directors. All of the member schools did not vote on the change.

“The IHSA Board of Directors has issued a series of guidelines that alter the 2020-21 sports seasons mandated by the IHSA By-laws,” the suit reads. “The guidelines include an outright ban on certain sports during the time periods to which the IHSA By-laws limit those sports. These amendments to the IHSA By-laws were not enacted through the legislative process the IHSA Constitution requires.”

The suit does not include Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker or the Illinois Department of Health. Pritzker is currently making the decisions on high school and youth sports, with guidance from the IDPH.

Craig Anderson, the IHSA’s Executive Director, appears in favor of starting sports under safety guidelines, which makes the lawsuit target odd. It’s possible the parents believe winning the suit against the IHSA would put pressure on Pritzker to change his decision.

The IHSA has not responded with a statement yet, but typically does shortly after receiving a lawsuit.

Pritzker released a set of restrictions on high school, youth and adult recreational sports on July 29. Football, which is categorized as a higher-risk sport, will only be allowed non-contact practices according to the state’s current guidelines.

“These are incredibly important moments in the lives of our children,” Pritzker said. “When the multi-billion-dollar sports leagues with multi-million-dollar athletes are struggling to protect their players it is obvious there won’t be enough protection for kids on our school’s playing fields.”

Fall sports played in Illinois include football, boys and girls cross-country, boys and girls golf, boys soccer, girls swimming, girls tennis, girls volleyball. Practices were scheduled to begin on Aug. 10. Under Pritzker’s guidelines only cross-country, golf, tennis and swimming are currently taking place.

The guidelines divide sports into three risk levels: lower, medium and higher. The sports in each risk level are allowed different amounts of play based on current public health conditions.

The IHSA redid its sports schedule after Pritzker announced the guidelines.

Under the new schedule the high school sports year, which traditionally was divided into three seasons, will consist of four shortened seasons. Fall will run from Aug. 10 to Oct. 24. Winter is Nov. 16 to Feb. 13, spring will be Feb. 15 to May 1 and the new summer season will run from May 3 to June 26.

Fall sports include boys and girls golf, girls tennis, boys and girls cross-country and girls swimming and diving.

Winter sports are basketball, wrestling, boys swimming, cheerleading, dance, bowling and girls gymnastics.

Football, boys soccer, girls volleyball, badminton, gymnastics and water polo will be in the spring.

Baseball, softball, track and field, girls soccer, boys volleyball, lacrosse and boys tennis will run in the summer.

Coaches and parents launched a Let Us Play movement earlier this month. The group has held protests all around the state over the last two weeks.

IHSA lawsuit PDF