The Georgia High School Association announced on Tuesday that it will extend the mandatory suspension of all sports and activities until March 31.
In an email obtained by AccessWDUN to school officials, Dr. Robin Hines, executive director of the GHSA, said the governing body of the 460 public and private high schools across the state will follow Gov. Brian Kemp's guidance.
"The GHSA is an extension of our member schools in providing education-based sports and activities," Hines said in the email. "As such, the mandatory closures of schools will extend to all GHSA sports and activities including practice. Schools are scheduled to reopen on March 31 and we will follow the guidance available to us at that time. The safety of our student-athletes and all of those that they come in contact with is our top priority."
The decision comes on the heels of Gov. Brian Kemp's order to close all public schools in a Monday evening press conference.
"To keep our students, teachers, and administrators safe and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, I am ordering the closure of all public elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools in Georgia from March 18, 2020 to March 31, 2020," Kemp said in a statement.
In a statement on the GHSA website, Hines said on Monday the GHSA staff will work remotely through Friday, March 27 and re-evaluate soon after.
"We are keeping all GHSA family members in our thoughts and we will strive to do what is in the best interest of our student-athletes during this unprecedented time," the statement said.
