The state is suing the Indiana High School Athletic Association and seeking the removal of a bylaw that requires the organization to reserve two seats for minorities on its Board of Directors.
Attorney General Todd Rokita announced the lawsuit Thursday. The IHSAA is the statewide governing body for athletics, including more than 400-member public and private schools.
“Hoosier students should not be governed by a sports association that picks its leaders based on race,” Rokita said in a release.
“IHSAA’s quota tells kids that skin color, rather than merit, is an appropriate way to judge people. That lesson has no place in Indiana’s education system, and, regardless, the law does not permit it.”
The lawsuit, filed in Marion Superior Court on Wednesday, stated the IHSAA has maintained the quota since 1993. It seeks its immediate elimination through a permanent injunction and asks the court to declare the bylaw violates state law.
It cited two current bylaws that said two of the organization’s 19 board seats are closed to white men and white women.
A release from Rokita’s office said it asked the IHSAA to eliminate the quota April 23.
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It stated the IHSAA refused to act and said only it might consider bylaw changes in May 2027. After additional notice and an Aug. 25 Executive Committee meeting that produced no change, the suit was filed, the release said.
“The IHSAA exists to build character. A racial litmus test for choosing leadership on the IHSAA’s board does the opposite, and after months of delay, the Association left us no choice but to take legal action,” said Rokita.
“IHSAA’s pursuit of its mission and its compliance with the terms of its nonprofit status under Indiana law are grievously compromised by the invidious race discrimination IHSAA practices in how it selected its leadership,” the complaint said.
The IHSAA issued a statement acknowledging its disappointment in the lawsuit “despite our willingness to consider the Attorney General’s concerns through our established governance and bylaw review processes.”
It said the IHSAA does not rely on taxpayer funding.
“The IHSAA disagrees with any suggestion that our bylaws violate federal and state civil rights laws or in any way constitute an abuse of its nonprofit status.
“To the contrary, the IHSAA is committed to serving all student-athletes and member schools throughout Indiana.”
The IHSAA said it values broad representation and diverse perspectives among its leaders.
“It is unfortunate that distractions like today’s lawsuit take away focus from what really matters: the student-athletes.”
Locally, Valparaiso High athletic director Stacy Adams, Chesterton High athletic director Jeff Hamstra, East Porter athletic director mentor Patti McCormack and North Judson-San Pierre athletic director Mike Sharkozy serve on the 19-member board of directors, according to its website.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
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