Indiana attorney general sues high school sports association over race-based board quota

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has sued the state’s governing body for high school athletics over a policy that reserves two seats on its board of directors for racial minorities.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Marion County Superior Court, seeks to force the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) to eliminate a provision reserving two of its 19 board seats for "qualified minorities." The association’s bylaws define a minority director as "an individual other than a white male or female."

"Hoosier students should not be governed by a sports association that picks its leaders based on race," Rokita said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. "IHSAA’s quota tells kids that skin color, rather than merit, is an appropriate way to judge people."

"That lesson has no place in Indiana’s education system, and, regardless, the law does not permit it," he continued. "The IHSAA exists to build character. A racial litmus test for choosing leadership on the IHSAA’s board does the opposite, and after months of delay, the Association left us no choice but to take legal action."

The state’s complaint alleges the quota constitutes an "overt racial classification" that treats potential board members differently based solely on their race. It accuses the IHSAA of violating Indiana’s nonprofit laws by abusing its authority, misapplying corporate assets and acting inconsistently with its stated public purpose.

The lawsuit asks the court to issue a permanent injunction requiring the IHSAA to immediately remove the racial qualification from its bylaws and prohibit the association from adopting future policies that allocate board seats based on race. It also seeks a declaration that the existing provisions violate Indiana law.

The IHSAA defended its policies in a statement Thursday and said it was disappointed Rokita proceeded with litigation.

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