Bishop England, Philip Simmons no longer to play each other in any high school sports

Officials from both Bishop England and Philip Simmons high schools confirmed the schools will no longer compete against each other in any school-related sports.

Bishop England sent a statement to its high school parents Friday, Sept. 20.

"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.

Bishop England is committed to pursuing a healthy spirit of competition in our athletic programs. We hope and pray that our relationship with Philip Simmons improves so that we can continue to serve our communities and especially our children who collectively benefit from using their God-given talents to build character and work ethic."

"District leadership is aware of Bishop England's decision to suspend certain athletic competitions with Philip Simmons High and the subsequent denial of Philip Simmons High's request for reconsideration. Due to the inability of the leadership teams to reach a consensus, we learned from public sources that all competitions between the two schools are currently on hold.

Schools throughout the district, including Philip Simmons High, have enjoyed healthy competitive relationships with both local and county rivals without incident. There is no indication that the situation between Philip Simmons High and Bishop England has been any different. Historically, these schools have enjoyed a positive competitive rivalry, and we remain hopeful that the two leadership teams can work together to reinstate athletic competitions in the near future."

Two weeks ago, Bishop England officials canceled sub-varsity football games with Philip Simmons, and played its varsity rivalry game without fans, as it barred spectators from entering the BE stadium. The school administration cited "concerns posted on social media across the state and country containing threats of violence, and due to the current climate between our fan bases.” 

Prior to the varsity game, a racially-charged photo circulated in social media among students and parent online forums.

Bishop England football coach Logan Hall spoke with WCBD-TV before the school's home game against Porter-Gaud High School, and said despite the announcement, there may still be hope the Bishops and Iron Horses will one day compete.

"It's unfortunate, but I think administrations on both sides are working through the, kind of, contract negotiations to make sure in the future we can have those events," Hall said.

The Daniel Island News will continue to update this story as it develops.