newjerseynewsroom.com

Federal court date set for Friday

St. Patrick High School filed suit in federal district court in Newark Wednesday against the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, claiming numerous civil rights violations and seeking to enjoin the NJSIAA from barring the school's boys' basketball team from the State tournament, which is set to begin on March 1st.

The Complaint alleges that the NJSIAA violated St. Patrick's student athletes' rights to due process, privacy and the free exercise of religion by ignoring its own regulations, entering the school's gym under false pretenses, taking secret video of students on school property and disregarding NJSIAA precedents.

St. Patrick Coach Kevin Boyle, who admitted inadvertently violating NJSIAA out-of-season coaching rules by attending pre-season open gym sessions, has served the three-game suspension imposed upon him and is not a party to the lawsuit.

Federal District Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh has scheduled a hearing on St. Patrick's application for a preliminary injunction — which, if granted, would return the team to the tournament — for 3 p.m. Friday afternoon.

The St. Patrick boys basketball team (23-3) is the No. 1 squad in the state. The Elizabeth-based school has advanced to the Union County tournament finals for the 18th-consecutive year.

— NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM