AIA responds to mother of hearing impaired boy

By Gary Whelchel

Ms. Johnson:
 
Thank you for your letter regarding the incident at your son’s school in Maricopa.
 
The Arizona Interscholastic Association and this office does not assign officials nor are we responsible for the officials that officiate any athletic contest outside of events that involve our member schools. 

The officials that worked your son’s game were not working under the auspices of the AIA. We did not assign them. You would need to direct your concerns to the entity that assigns officials to your son’s games, and inquire as to their regulations and restrictions regarding these issues. 
 
Athletic participants in AIA high school events that wear hearing aids are NOT required to remove them, and any official that would make that request would be disciplined from this office. 

My daughter is deaf and wore hearing aids during her entire high school athletic experience.