VIDEO: Brian Cushing High School HighlightsSee the former Bergen Catholic (N.J.) standout in action.NJSIAA member schools voted on Monday morning to separate public and non-public schools during regular season play, creating a seismic shift in the landscape of football in New Jersey.
According to Matthew Stanmyre of NJ.com, the vote was 215-128, with two abstentions.
The vote means that non-public schools will form their own state-wide conference. That conference will determine its structure, scheduling, and other details.
Public schools can still schedule games against non-public schools, if both schools agree to the game.
Non-public schools won roughly 59 percent of their games against New Jersey public schools during the 2015 season, posting a combined record for 129-89.
Non-public schools already had separate brackets for postseason play. In total, the state crowned 23 champions in football over the weekend.
States around the country differ in how they handle issues of competitive balance between public schools and non-public schools. Many perceive private schools to be advantaged by the ability to attract students from outside of their direct vicinity.
In some states, such as Texas, public schools and non-public schools are almost completely separated and governed by different entities.
Elsewhere, non-public schools are grouped together locally into conferences. Some states use a multiplier that causes non-public schools to play against larger public school competition.
Each state is unique, and the level of tension between public and non-public schools varies by state and region.
The creation of a state-wide, non-public super conference, under the same umbrella as the entity that governs public schools, appears unprecedented.
St. Peter's Prep played three New Jersey public schools in the 2015 season. It's unlikely it will play any in 2016.
Photo by Glenn Kross
