Column: C’mon, Granada Hills High. It’s time to let fans attend sporting events on campus
It has become inexcusable that Granada Hills Charter High School continues to refuse to allow spectators on campus for any extracurricular activities. That means sports, plays, choir, band — anything.
This is the decision made by the school’s executive director, Brian Bauer, one of the most highly compensated charter executives in California at about $250,000 a year. He leaves it up to the school’s administrative director, Julian Gomez, to answer questions. In August, Gomez said the school was reviewing safety protocols.
On Tuesday, Gomez said in an email to The Times: “Granada Hills Charter will open in phases that allow for the safest and healthiest environment for all stakeholders. Our current priority is maintaining the health and safety measures that allow students to fully participate in academic programs and extracurricular activities. Although we all look forward to the time when we are able to reopen with no restrictions, allowing visitors
on campus and holding large events with spectators competes with the many health and safety protocols the school follows every day.”
All the Granada Hills coaches and sports administrators I’ve spoken to support allowing fans on campus.
Granada Hills continues to insist it won’t do so because COVID-19 remains a safety concern, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health guidelines say as long as protocols are followed, spectators can attend on-campus events, particularly ones held outside.
And yet, this power play continues. Meanwhile, parents can’t watch their senior sons and daughters participate in extracurricular activities. Shared memories and unforgettable family moments are being taken away while fans are allowed virtually everywhere else in Los Angeles County.
Coaches are scratching their heads trying to figure out why this is happening. Others speculate that Granada Hills is intent on saving money and headaches from not having to supervise on-campus events or tell a parent to wear a mask.
Vicky Lagos, the City Section commissioner, said last April that Granada Hills told her the reason fans were not allowed on campus was because “they did not have the manpower and it was a safety issue.”
Coaches Ed Croson of Chaminade and Scott Altenberg of Gardena Serra discuss rivalry between football programs.
It’s now October. COVID-19 cases have dropped and vaccinations are way up. Until Granada Hills starts getting hurt by students withdrawing or coaches leaving, nothing is likely to change. But opposing schools in the West Valley League are beginning to retaliate by refusing to play at Granada Hills. Birmingham will not play at Granada Hills on Oct. 15, instead opting to host the game.
Chatsworth was prepared to switch its football game at Granada Hills to a home game on Friday but couldn’t find enough people to work the game. The City Section has told Granada Hills it won’t be allowed to host playoff games in any sport.
We’ll see what it takes to get Bauer’s attention, because for now, he’s staying quiet and hidden while coaches, parents and students pay the price of inaction.
In the email to The Times on Tuesday, Gomez made clear the quickest path to fans in the stands is for everyone involved to get vaccinated: “Given the Granada Hills Charter Board policy that requires all guests and visitors to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination (i.e. two weeks after the last shot), we are diligently planning for the next phase of our campus reopening plan.
“When we are ready for that next phase of campus access to take place, which will include proof of COVID-19 vaccination, we will be communicating with the GHC community.”
Two hundred and sixteen teams will be entered in the Southern Section football playoffs.
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