While school board officials remain tight-lipped, it appears unlikely that students will see a resumption of indoor school sports this year.

In a statement, the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District says there will be no change to the current prohibition on all extra-curricular activities, including school sports, until further notice. The Board declined an interview with VOCM News on the matter.

The NLESD says as some sports may be finished for the season, in any event, schools may take the opportunity to have materials and uniforms returned. Further, the board says they recognize that extracurricular activities are valuable for many reasons, but these are not normal times and, as it currently stands, not all students are able to attend school full-time.

That comes as a big disappointment to James Carpenter—an administrator of the “Reinstate Indoor School Sports” Facebook page and its thousands of members.

Carpenter says he’s not overly surprised but is still shocked given the low COVID-19 case numbers in the province and that club sports have been permitted to return to play. They’re not looking for gameplay, says Carpenter, they just want kids back in the school gym practicing and being active.

Although his own sons are able to play club sports, he believes it’s unfair that young athletes and students are permitted to play club sports outside of school, yet not permitted to play sports inside the school with classmates. Carpenter calls it a double standard.

The group is pleading with the board to re-visit the plan and find a way to get kids playing and practicing school sports safely—as for many students, especially in rural areas, the school gym is all that’s available when it comes to any type of indoor organized sports.

The NLESD did not provide any timeline for a final decision.