About
Welcome to CIF Watchdog! Thank you for visiting.
This site has been created in response to a long fought (and still going) battle undertaken this fall with the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Sac-Jaoquin section. I’d been told early on in the process by people who had run-ins with CIF that the transfer eligibility we sought would be rejected, yet still believed the CIF eligibility process would be fair and quick.
Months later, after being subject to an incredibly unfair and biased process and learning of scores of others around the state being treated the same, I am compelled to seek change at CIF. Not change at the individual level. Not change at the local level. But change at the state level.
CIF needs oversight and transparency in its operation. It doesn’t have it now, but I seek to lead an effort that will bring about change and restore respect to the organization an organization that, truth be told, has little when it comes to the way it conducts business.
Christian A. Hendricks
chendricks@cifwatchdog.com
Help – I am drowning in the twist & turns of the CIF appeals process & cant keep up with their never ending rules.
My son was denied eligibility and I am looking for experienced legal advice to what my options are as a parent to see what recourse we may have to attempt to fix what I believe to be an injustice directed at my son.
HELP…..
R.M
HI – My son just received his denial of transfer eligibility from the CIF Southern Section. Tried to email Christian at chendricks@cifwatchdog.com for help but it bounced back. Any suggestions?
email us at ccswatchdog@gmail.com we may be able to help , or at least explain what we have been seeing related to CIF and eligibility cases. Is this your first denial or have you been through the Section’s appeal process? We are familar with many cases pending in the Southern Section.
Thank you for the efforts in forming this group to the South. We have also formed this group for the Central Coast Section. Unfortunately, and the main reason CIF continues unchallenged, is that many families, athletes, students and schools who experience unfair decisions or rulings from CIF either do not have the finances or passion to continue the fight. Let’s face it high school sports only last four years at most and CIF can outlast every high school student who has ever had an issue. They continue in safe and secure jobs where they set the rules , police the rules and rule on the rules. Where else in America does this happen? They seem to have the lines down to create an empathetic appearance ” we wish we didn’t have to do this” , but keep in mind they always have full authority to not do it , so they clearly aren’t wishing very hard. The Central Coast Section appears to be boiling to the top on several issues. Schools are tired of the burdens CCS places on them when they have more pressing educational burdens to deal with and the legal expenses in CIF are soaring. There is no urgency to control those costs as they are simply passed on to member schools. We are currently investigating use of funds in the CCS office itself. We invite you to join us at CCS watchdog on word press as well!
Thank you for starting this blog. I am currently providing support to three different cases related to CIF. I have read your previous posts and fully agree with your statements. Having intimate knowledge of the CIF rules, bylaws and procedures gives me great cause for alarm. I am currently aware of several lawsuits being put together. CIF is clearly not motivated to control their legal costs, implement fair or reasonable procedures nor operate with any transparency. As you discussed before I have been amazed to see Sections turn a blind eye to favorite school districts that repeatedly violate CIF rules while they crack down excessively on other schools for minor infractions.
I would fully support kicking this up to a state level and helping to make some noise so it gets attention. With the budget crisis this state faces, CIF and its Sections are acting recklessly with money that should be going for kids, not for fat salaries, expense accounts and unnecessary travel. They certainly can Skype rather than go on fancy paid trips just to have meetings. We need more transparency and balance. The Section Commissioners are granted far too much authority, then appoint that ” good old boy or gal ” network to support them and give them job security.
I fully support your efforts and will dedicate my resources to providing additional information and services for this effort. I would suggest the following :
1. Contact major newspapers and give them a path to the stories about ridiculous rulings and poor fiscal management. If local papers found out how much Section offices spend , how much Commissioners earn , what their expenses are and the type of decsions they are making, the papers would run with it because it is yet another example of unchecked government negatively interfering with families who simply want an education for their kids and opportunities in sprots to keep kids focused and away from risky behavior. I would suggest sending individuals to the Section and CIF offices where under the Freedom of Information Act, they can get information about meetings, votes, budgets, expenses, etc. I am aware there is some abuse, even if not deliberate, could be criminal in nature especially for Section Commissioners who supposedly have this great authority in their offices, therefore they are either benefiting from excessive expense accounts or responsible from them. When you dig in places like this you always find something! There is enough in public records that is problematic for these same individuals that seem to run untouched making decisions for families and schools everyday. Providing transparency on what those people are doing is the most effective way to get some good attention and cause public outrage.
2. I believe you grossly under estimate legal expenses for CIF. When you include Section legal fees and private settlements, I am willing to bet that number is much higher. Each year CIF has to give a report to the state legislature, I am sure legal expenses are buried in that. It would be very effective to start pointing those numbers out and then to put pressure on the legislature to pressure CIF directly. This information disclosed to the papers would help ramp up the pressure too. People will not like money bleeding out and being taken away from educationfor ridiculous legal fees in this economy- most schools in CIF are public that means tax payer money- government waste . With hard numbers and soft private information ( cases that settled or are in process) taking that to state represetatives ,e vent he Governer will cause extreme pressure on those folks who in turn will be forced to deal more directly with CIF and their representatives ( Hence force the transparency)
3. To address oversight , there are procedural issues that CIF simply does not address. There appears to be an iron curtain up when it comes to how CIF and Sections operate. AS you mentioned there is very little regard for legal or balanced representation and due process. People who get in the organization seem to recycle around making the same arguments. Section Commissioners are granted tremendous oversight with little obligation to develop training and procedures that ensure basic Constitutional Rights and Fundamental procedures. Through the cases I have assisted with, I have found huge gaps and violations but since many people are interested in their personal issue, many of those issues are not addressed for the greater good. Appeals and procedures are often based on eligibility for a particular student and once that student has moved on the pressing issue and economic commitments do not continue to address larger CIF and Section issues. In kicking this up to papers and state representatives , it would be more sustainable. Then rather than just address individual issues and continue the same pattern. Then as one family leaves, another coming into the system facing the same issues would have more information and support which would keep pressure up. Many of these people in the CIF are appointed. Their qualifications are loosely defined and their expertise never fully monitored, yet they impact the lives and futures of hundreds of thousands of athletes each year. Starting to point ot individuals and procedures in the organization would force the oversight you seek as well.
I think this would be a great platform for a watchdog group that may be able to start shining a spotlight on these issues and get something done. Happy to help you and provide tremendous information and direction and assistance if you would like help! Would be great to get a legal champion willing to take this on too! It would be great experience and exposure for a legal mind seeking high visability in government or sports law!
CIF-Southern Section has a new commissioner. Rob Wigod who has work with section for over 10-years took over the job on August 1.