The Louisiana High School Athletic Association continued their state-wide area meetings Wednesday, convening with a number of coaches, athletic directors and principals at the LITE Center in Lafayette.

And for the vast majority of the meeting, it was business as usual as the fewer than 100 people in attendance received clarifications on agenda items they had questions about in a question-and-answer session with LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine.

The primary discussions revolved around the student multiplier for Select schools, a proposal to require Select schools to reapply for membership and a proposal to add a new classification of 6A.

And of all the things discussed, none drew the ire more than the proposal for Select schools to be removed and forced to reapply for membership.

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"That would be Item 2 that is where the perception and the conversation then you're voting the private schools out," said Bonine in response to a question asking how would that proposal work by Notre Dame athletic director and head football coach Lewis Cook Sr. "There was a group of private schools that felt as though they may want to run their own association or run their own items. That gives them the ability to do that. They can do it now and just step out of the association and not apply for membership. Doesn't prevent them or anybody from doing that if that's what they want to do. It then becomes a federation concern and/or an application process."

Bonine laid out possible criteria and/or things that could be taken into consideration that could be used in determining a school's application for membership.

"Once that goes out and anything is used in there regarding the multiplier if not anything amended whatever, the bottom line is if that becomes the case then in the application — and I don't do this in a flippant manner — but when it comes to that we will have a conversation with the committee," Bonine said.

"I'm going to go over fines. We'll go over hearings; we'll go over anything that was in front of the executive committee for specific items. Have you been a good student? Have you been a good member? We'll look at overall history. There's items that can go in it. Have you sued me lately? Have we been in litigation with you more times than not?

"I can stand here before you today and say that in the five years that I've been here, 100 percent of the litigation has been Select schools and has been our arbitration. Right or wrong, the numbers show that. That's a right you have by rule and can't hold that against you. But those are all things ... if you get told no and you use the options that are in place, can't necessarily be held against you."

And the thought of possibly being voted out of the LHSAA didn't sit well with Teurlings Catholic principal Mike Boyer, who voiced his opinion and all but ended the meeting.

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"In 44 years in Catholic schools, I have a tough time looking at this," said Boyer in reference to the Item No. 2 proposal. "It seems systematically we have removed a portion of our membership to the outside. If I read this correctly, (LHSAA's constitutional lawyer) Amy (Lowe) said you don't treat one part of the membership differently than the other. And I think we are doing that right here with this proposal. I'm not trying to be flippant or anything, but there was a time where they would call this segregation."

If there is any hope to getting the association back together and putting an end to the select, non-select split, it may be the proposal of North Vermilion principal Tommy Byler. Although he admits there are things to work out over the next year and a half, Byler believes adding a Class 6A and a 1.25 multiplier oppose to a 1.50. In all non-football sports, there would be eight classes with B & C remaining.

"First of all, I want to make sure everyone knows this is not Tommy Byler's proposal," said Byler, who stated if the proposal was voted to be implemented effective immediately that he would pull it. "I had to put my name on it. It is a little outside of the box, but we felt like it was the only way to get the association back. This way, everyone gives a little."

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Boyer and Lafayette Christian's Jay Miller were willing to support Byler's proposal.

"If I was forced to have to vote for one, I'd vote for his," Boyer said. "It has definitely been well thought out and for a lot of the questions people have about it, he provided answers. He was right on that people don't look at the big picture. They are looking to see who they are going to be lined up against."

Although Byler's proposal has piqued the interest of people, the general consensus is that none of the proposals will be passed next week.

"I think of all the proposal's, Byler's proposal has a chance," Miller said. "But I don't think they are going to pass."

Miller does believe the crossroads that has been reached could lead to more difficult discussions for select schools.

"We're tired of being picked on," Miller said about select schools. "We are being treated like outsiders. They aren't kicking everyone out. They are kicking the privates out and we're having to beg to get back in.

"I think the split will remain. The question is how much more will we split," Miller continued. "Do we split all the way or is it time for select schools, private schools, tuition-funded schools to do their own thing? I can tell you, I'm starting to feel like private schools are comfortable playing other private schools. We play each other only in the playoffs. I think we're walking a fine line right now."

Eric Narcisse covers high school sports for The Daily Advertiser. Email him at enarcisse@theadvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter @eric_narcisse.