Letters to the Editor | Dec. 9, 2025

When the finalists for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association high school football championship were announced, I was hardly surprised they were all private schools again. When will this egregious offense against the public schools in this state be dealt with?

Jacque Thompson, Coatesville

First, congratulations to the football teams at Roman Catholic and LaSalle High Schools for winning their respective Pennsylvania state championship games. They obviously are excellent teams.

As a former public high school teacher and coach, I oppose the inclusion of nonpublic schools in the same championship competitions as public schools. The two groups do not play by the same rules.

Public schools are populated by children who live within certain geographic boundaries. Whereas schools like Roman Catholic and LaSalle can, to a degree, choose their student populations. We know that in the past, St. Joseph’s Prep has been very successful, partly because it had players from other states playing for the “Pennsylvania” state championship.

It is even more telling when all four of the schools in the 6A and 5A championship games are nonpublic schools. In the 6A final, Roman Catholic beat Bishop McDevitt of Harrisburg, while in the 5A game, LaSalle defeated Pittsburgh Central Catholic. I’m thrilled for the student-athletes at both of our Philadelphia schools.

To the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, please create ground rules that apply to all competitors. Let public schools compete with public schools and nonpublic schools compete with their peers in the state championships.

Jeff Heim, West Chester

As your recent article notes, crashes along Cresheim Valley Drive (CVD) are not a new phenomenon, nor are calls and efforts to somehow make the road itself “safer.” I have been a frequent driver on CVD for close to half a century. I have driven many different vehicles in all weather conditions at all times of day. I don’t remember even so much as feeling a wheel slip while doing so. Although there are some measures that might help to make the road a bit more safe, the fundamental reason people crash their vehicles on Cresheim Valley Drive is poor driving. I observe that even on clear, dry days, fewer than one in 10 drivers along CVD can manage to keep their vehicles between the yellow line in the center and the white line along the shoulder. Sure, rumble stripes would serve to help remind people to stay in their lanes. However, the basic problem is that too many drivers are in a hurry, inattentive, and inept. If you wish to avoid crashing on CVD, put down your phone, focus on the road ahead, slow down, and steer. Obviously, this advice applies to driving on all roads at all times.

David Dannenberg, Philadelphia

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