Superintendent Says Practice at Burr Ridge Middle Not a Recruiting Event

Community Consolidated School District 180 is denying claims that a basketball practice held at Burr Ridge Middle School was a recruiting event for Whitney Young High School.

NBC Chicago reported that the Chicago-based magnet school held a basketball practice at the middle school in November. When Hinsdale South High School heard of the event, they complained to the Illinois High School Association that the practice was set up to recruit middle school students to Young's basketball program. IHSA is waiting for an explanation from Young on why the practice was held in Burr Ridge. 

Dr. Thomas Schneider, CCSD 180 superintendent, told Patch that Young's athletes were there to serve as positive role models to the middle school students. Adding that the district underestimated the competitiveness of high school basketball and wasn't thinking about "how it might look" to Hinsdale South. 

"We just thought it was a chance for our students to see one of the best teams in the state," said Schneider. "We understand the appearance is bad and we should've thought about that, but [recruitment] was not our intention."

"[Whitney Young is] a school that's regarded as one of the best, with good athletes and one that also receives high marks academically," he said. "We thought it would be fun for the kids who were interested -- it was volunteer, it's not like the entire school had to see this."

The middle school's basketball team, the Burr Ridge Middle School Chieftains, recently took first place in the Fenwick Tournament held the first two weekends in December.