CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- Bishop England High School and Philip Simmons High School will no longer play sports against each other, according to Berkeley County School District (BCSD) officials.
The decision impacts all athletic competitions between the two schools, the Diocese of Charleston told News 2.
In a Sept. 20 message to Bishop England parents, school administrators cited a declining “climate” between the two schools’ fan bases as the reason for the decision.
“Over the past several years, we have enjoyed a healthy rivalry when competing against Philip Simmons High School. Recently, however, the climate between our fan bases has declined. Due to the large number of spectators that attend both football and basketball games, we have decided that we will not play Philip Simmons in those sports, only. We want to allow time for this climate to improve. Bishop England would like to continue to compete in all other sports. However, the administration at Philip Simmons has decided that all competitive sports between our schools will cease. This is not the outcome we were seeking, especially with our sincere desire to create a respectful culture between our school communities,” the message stated.