What to do...

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

If there are enough alternatives in the area, there is no need to put yourself into that situation. Here, with ~75 HS, how hard is it to avoid one school. Plenty of other games out there and plenty of officials who can do that game. It is generally not permitted here...but sometimes happens in Christmas tournaments.

I think the point is that you cannot avoid every possible conflict. Someone went to school somewhere and someone has kids somewhere or went to school with someone somewhere. You cannot avoid every possible issue that someone will make out of where you work.

Peace

[tref]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I think the point is that you cannot avoid every possible conflict. Someone went to school somewhere and someone has kids somewhere or went to school with someone somewhere. You cannot avoid every possible issue that someone will make out of where you work.

Peace

True... I have quite a few TBAs on my schedule for tournaments, I might see the said team there. I feel comfortable working since she isn't playing.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I think the point is that you cannot avoid every possible conflict. Someone went to school somewhere and someone has kids somewhere or went to school with someone somewhere. You cannot avoid every possible issue that someone will make out of where you work.

Peace

Every possible conflict, no. But where you kids currently attend, easy.
There is no need for that if you wish to maintain your professionalism.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Every possible conflict, no. But where you kids currently attend, easy.
There is no need for that if you wish to maintain your professionalism.

Some people think you should not work a game in the town you live too. The point is how far are we going to worry about what people perceive their to be a conflict? Professionalism has little to do with who is in a game you are working unless it is your relative on that game IMO. But if there are no relative playing, who cares? I am also saying that it is an individual decision and that of the assignor if they care. And as I said I treat varsity contest different than a lower level game where the people assigned might be available based on proximity of the school rather than who are the best officials. Lower level games have a different focus and usually are not keeping major records or even listed in the media.

Peace

[ref2coach]

Below is the clip from our State's official website.
An official is prohibited from working in an athletic contest in which a member of his/her immediate family
- son, daughter, brother, sister, mother, father, husband, or wife - is playing or is serving as a coach for
either team. If an official is a teacher, the official is prohibited from working in an athletic contest if one of
the teams represents the school in which the official is employed as a teacher unless otherwise approved by
the Executive Director. All varsity assignments must be assigned by a recognized and approved TSSAA
Local Association.

In TN you would not be prohibited from working a sport at a school just because you child attends said school.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by ref2coach

In TN you would not be prohibited from working a sport at a school just because you child attends said school.

Oregon doesn't prohibit it in general for the regular season, but the Portland Association does.

It is not an absolute....it is a matter of how many schools and organization covers and how many officials there are. In smaller associations that cover few schools, it would be perfectly acceptable and perhaps the best option in some instances. In larger organizations, it is easy to avoid it so why risk a problem.

[Adam]

Until now, this has always been easy for me. I grew up out of state, and my kids were in elementary school. This year, my daughter is in ms, but frankly, I'm not worried about it since she's not playing yet (6th grade can't play basketball).

[Rufus]

I've blocked out my kids' MS before and added their HS this year now that the oldest is attending (none of them play basketball for their schools). It's a no-brainer for me simply because you don't even want to give a hint of impropriety or give anyone an excuse to question your judgment/ethics.

There are guys in my association who teach and block out their own school plus the school those kids will attend later. Extreme? Maybe, but it's one less thing to worry about.

[Altor]

Originally Posted by Rufus

I've blocked out my kids' MS before and added their HS this year now that the oldest is attending (none of them play basketball for their schools). It's a no-brainer for me simply because you don't even want to give a hint of impropriety or give anyone an excuse to question your judgment/ethics.

There are guys in my association who teach and block out their own school plus the school those kids will attend later. Extreme? Maybe, but it's one less thing to worry about.

I could see where this is a good idea, not to protect myself from the appearance of impropriety, but to protect my kids. If I worked a more visible sport such as basketball or football, I'd consider doing this just to keep my children from being put in the middle.

While I'm professional enough to keep my officiating decisions separate from the rest of my life, I can't guarantee that the coaches, teachers, and especially other students can do the same.

[deecee]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Every possible conflict, no. But where you kids currently attend, easy.
There is no need for that if you wish to maintain your professionalism.

I don't see what professionalism has to do with this argument? Professionalism would be if you didn't think you could adjudicate your duties and responsibilities with integrity and you remove yourself from the contest. I think your statement would read better as

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Every possible conflict, no. But where you kids currently attend, easy.
There is no need for that if you wish to maintain your squeaky clean politically correct image.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by deecee

I don't see what professionalism has to do with this argument? Professionalism would be if you didn't think you could adjudicate your duties and responsibilities with integrity and you remove yourself from the contest. I think your statement would read better as

"Professionalism" is part of "ethical" conduct. In the science/engineering/medical/dental and legal professions, to act in an unprofessional manner is to act in an unethical manner. We like to say that sports officiating is an advocation, but it is really a profession masquerdating as a profession.

MTD, Sr.

[deecee]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

"Professionalism" is part of "ethical" conduct. In the science/engineering/medical/dental and legal professions, to act in an unprofessional manner is to act in an unethical manner. We like to say that sports officiating is an advocation, but it is really a profession masquerdating as a profession.

MTD, Sr.

MTD, I misspoke. Everyone is throwing around professionalism but it seems like they aren't applying any standards to it. I agree with your statement wholeheartedly. Being a "professional" official means carrying out your duties with ethics and integrity. Allowing personal conflicts to interfere with your job is unprofessional IMO. There are some few people, and I like to think I am one, who can be rational and reasonable and NOT allow personal conflicts to interfere with their duties.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by deecee

MTD, I misspoke. Everyone is throwing around professionalism but it seems like they aren't applying any standards to it. I agree with your statement wholeheartedly. Being a "professional" official means carrying out your duties with ethics and integrity. Allowing personal conflicts to interfere with your job is unprofessional IMO. There are some few people, and I like to think I am one, who can be rational and reasonable and NOT allow personal conflicts to interfere with their duties.

Sometimes even allowing the appearance of possible conflict is considered unprofessional.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Sometimes even allowing the appearance of possible conflict is considered unprofessional.

That works well for people in larger areas, it does not work for people in smaller areas where I originally came from, which is why really this is up to the assignor and what policy they want to have about who works a game and when. Remember the possibility of conflict is usually solely based on the people in those communities, not the officiating community. And why they assume someone lives in a community must be for a team in that community. This is also another reason you see this as an issue at the lower levels and rarely see this at the college or pro level at all. There are pro officials that grew up loving a home town team and they work that home town team which I would think would be more of a conflict, but they still work those games.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Sometimes even allowing the appearance of possible conflict is considered unprofessional.

Officials recognize that anything which may lead to a conflict of interest either real or
apparent must be avoided. Gifts, favors, special treatment, privileges, employment or personal
relationship with a school or team which can compromise the perceived impartiality of officiating must be
avoided.