St. Louis area private and Christian school families have achieved a victory after challenging the authority of St. Louis County Executive Sam Page to shut down their schools’ athletic competitions. Page conceded to the families’ demands, issued via letter from the Thomas More Society, a not-for-profit national public interest law firm.

On October 5, 2020, Page announced the lifting of restrictions on St. Louis County’s youth sports. This announcement followed the receipt of the September 29 Thomas More Society demand letter.

Late on October 4, hours before the Thomas More Society was set to file for a temporary restraining order seeking to void Page’s youth sports restrictions, Page backed down. He held an emergency press conference, hurriedly announced late Sunday evening. Then, on Monday afternoon, within two hours after the Thomas More Society sent a second demand letter, Page deleted the prior Youth Sports Guidelines from the county website and posted the new relaxed restrictions.

Page’s revisions mirrored the concessions demanded by families represented by Thomas More Society attorneys, including:

1. Relaxing the unconstitutional and arbitrary 50-person maximum attendance restrictions
2. Eliminating the ban on high contact sports at a time when students need play experience for college recruitment opportunities
3. Retracting “criminally punishable” restrictions on cheerleader chanting or stunts
4. Dropping the restriction on parents congregating in the parking lot after a game
5. Ending the threat to close schools that opt to relocate athletic competitions outside of St. Louis County

Thomas More Society Special Counsel Mary Elizabeth Coleman stated: “We are pleased that County Executive Page has recognized and corrected his unconstitutional treatment of these student athletes and their families. Youth sports are no longer being held hostage in St. Louis County, Missouri. The Thomas More Society will continue to monitor the situation and will not hesitate to step in should unlawful and unconstitutional conditions resurface.”

“Student athletes are now free to compete in St. Louis County,” added Coleman, “And their families, friends, and fans are once again free to assemble and associate alongside them. Under the county’s previously discriminatory restrictions, private and Christian school students were at a serious disadvantage to their public school counterparts, and their schools faced severely disproportionate penalties for allowing them to compete. The redaction of Page’s unconstitutional restrictions has levelled the playing field for student athletes regardless of what educational institution they attend.”