Sport Not At Hinsdale South; Central Offers It

DARIEN, IL – Hinsdale South High School doesn't offer lacrosse as a sport, while Hinsdale Central does, with teams for both boys and girls.

A parent suggested this appeared to be discrimination.

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Both campuses are part of Hinsdale High School District 86.

For years, South residents have pointed to disparities between the schools that put their students at a disadvantage.

In particular, they have pointed to South's smaller class selection and greater class scheduling conflicts.

That's because South's enrollment is half that of Central's, meaning South cannot specialize as much.

Through a public records request, Patch obtained emails that showed then-Superintendent Michael Lach inquired about the lack of lacrosse at South.

This was after Lach received an email on Dec. 11, 2024, from a South parent upset about the lack of lacrosse.

"Upon contacting the Athletic Director at Hinsdale South, I was informed that there are no plans to introduce lacrosse at our school, and my daughter is not permitted to play for Hinsdale Central," said the parent, whose name was redacted from the public records.

She said she was told this was because of a lack of an Illinois High School Association-approved cooperative between the two schools for lacrosse.

"This situation is deeply concerning as it appears to discriminate against athletes within the same district, denying them equal opportunities," the parent said. "As a taxpayer and a parent, it is disheartening to see my child deprived of the chance to participate in high school sports due to the lack of an approved co-op."

In an email that same day, Lach, who started as superintendent a few months before, asked other officials whether the district could allow the girl to practice at Central.

"I'm not sure how this sort of thing works," he said. "(I)s there a way to make this happen?"

Central's principal, Bill Walsh, responded that the association's bylaws govern the matter. He asked for a face-to-face meeting, rather than an email discussion.

A Zoom meeting was set up, inviting Central and South's principals and athletic directors.

On Dec. 19, 2024, South's athletic director, Art Ostrow, informed Lach in an email that he had a "good conversation" with the parent.

"She understands now why we cannot co-op in Lacrosse," Ostrow said.

Lach retired last month.

Patch asked the new superintendent, Chip Pettit, about the issue.

In an email, Pettit said he couldn't speak specifically about lacrosse at South as he was still learning about program offerings.

"With that in mind, we will always look to implement and support new programs that align with student interest," he said.