Penn State Football Parents Join #B1GparentsUnited Campaign Questioning Big Ten Leadership
Parents of Big Ten football players continue to press the conference for more answers regarding its decision to postpone the fall sports season.
Penn State parents have joined a group of 10 other organizations under the umbrella B1GparentsUnited in releasing a letter to Commissioner Kevin Warren and the conference. In it, the parents ask for a forum with Warren and want more information regarding the Big Ten's Return to Competition Task Force.
Further, the parents expressed a "total lack of confidence" in Warren and the Big Ten leadership.
"We are extremely disappointed in your August 19, 2020 correspondence in response to widespread requests for an explanation," the letter states. "Candidly, at this point, the parent organizations have a total lack of confidence in your ability to lead and communicate effectively with all key stakeholders."
The B1GparentsUnited campaign coalesces parent groups from across the conference. The Penn State Football Parents Association joined the campaign after releasing multiple letters, including one that asked, "Why can't we at least try to have a season?"
On Wednesday several Penn State football parents shared the B1GparentsUnited letter on social media.
During a video call with reporters recently, Penn State coach James Franklin addressed the vocal stances players and parents have taken regarding the Big Ten's decision.
"I love to see our players have voices. I love to see the parents have voices," Franklin said. "... I had a meeting with the parents [recently], and it's hard to continue to have meetings but you still don't have a whole lot of answers for them. But I still think that the ability to get together and look each other in the face and let them know what you do know is important.
"Do I think things are going to change? I don’t think we’re going to go back to a fall season. I don’t think that’s going to happen. I don’t think the petitions and the voices are going to allow us to go back and say, 'We’re going to play this fall.' I wish that was the case but I don’t see that happening."
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