We join KNX in congratulating El Camino Real High School on their victory in the California Academic Decathlon and wish them success at the national finals in Anchorage. We also congratulate Moorpark High School on their outstanding showing in the California competition. We were asked by our state organizations to send a second team to nationals. They felt that sending a second team would help them expand their decathlon programs.
Most states have large and small school divisions.
The state organizations, including California, did not want to send a second place team. Rather, they overwhelmingly recommended that the second team be a champion from a division different from the state champion. This recommendation was adopted and publicized last spring. From the beginning, California elected not to send a second team. Changing the rules at this late date, as urged by KNX, is not only unfair to all of the more than 2000 high schools nationwide that have abided by these rules, it also sets an inappropriate moral and ethical example.