West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission - Controversies

Controversies

Prior to the decision in Brown v. Board of Education, West Virginia maintained "colored" high schools. These schools, and thus their students, were barred from competition in the WVSSAC. The institution now known as West Virginia State University funded an unofficial "state colored championship" in basketball and football until 1959. The WVSSAC historical records take no note of these champions, and does not note that its champions prior to that year competed in a system that excluded many of the state's best athletes.

West Virginia was one of only three states to hold girls' basketball in the fall, and girls' volleyball in the winter, ostensibly due to facility shortages at various high schools. Eventually the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that this unfairly disadvantaged girls in competition for college scholarships and the organization was forced to adopt a traditional schedule.

There have also been complaints that the disparity of enrollment in Class AAA makes it difficult for the smaller schools in the classification to compete, particularly in football. There is an 1075 student difference between Cabell Midland and Point Pleasant, Cabell Midland being the largest and Point Pleasant being the smallest schools in the class respectively. On the other hand there is only about a 348 student difference between Point Pleasant and the smallest Class AA school, Summers County. The last time a AAA school with an enrollment under 1000 students won a football championship was Nitro in 1998. There have been a number of unsuccessful attempts to add a fourth class, most recently in 2008. The measure was passed by the WVSSAC, but was ultimately voted down by the State Board of Education. The Board named the state's relatively small number of schools and worries over how a fourth class would affect travel as deciding factors. Given the number of failed attempts most now feel as though a fourth class will never be added.