Leveling The Playing Field For Officials Too

When most of us think about high school sports, we picture the players, the coaches, and the roaring stands filled with proud parents and students. But there’s another group on the field that often goes unnoticed until a tough call is made: the officials. They keep the games safe, fair and orderly.

Last summer, constituents Doug Silber and Jenn Murphy — both longtime high school sports officials — came to me with a concern. They explained something many families in the stands may never have realized: Despite Maryland’s pay equity laws, officials for girls sports were being paid less than those working similar boys sports. The work was the same, the time commitment was the same, but the paychecks were not.

Here in Anne Arundel County, for example, officials for boys lacrosse were being paid $120 per game while girls lacrosse officials received $100. Once the issue was raised, Anne Arundel County Public Schools acted quickly to correct the disparity locally. But Doug and Jenn were right to point out that the problem went beyond one sport or one county — it was happening across Maryland, and the law needed to be stronger.

That’s why I introduced Senate Bill 923, which was cross-filed in the House by Delegates Dana Jones and Heather Bagnall. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and puts in place several commonsense measures to make sure pay inequities don’t creep back in.

Among other provisions, school systems must now reject any officiating contract that results in different pay for boys and girls versions of the same sport. Solicitations for officiating services must be issued at the same time, with the same deadlines, so no side has an unfair advantage in the bidding process. And school systems can even require that contractors bid on boys and girls sports together to keep pay consistent. These guardrails close loopholes and create accountability across Maryland.

But for me, this legislation is about more than contracts and procurement rules. It’s about the message we send to our kids. When a girl athlete sees that the officials at her game are paid less than those at her brother’s, we are telling her, whether we intend to or not, that her time on the field matters less. That is not the Maryland I want for my daughters or for any of our young athletes.

Here in Severna Park, sports are part of our fabric. Whether it’s the Friday night lights, a spring lacrosse showdown, or watching our cross country teams chase another state title, athletics bring us together. They teach teamwork, discipline and resilience. But they should never teach inequity.

This bill started with the voices of local officials who saw a problem and spoke up. Together with Delegates Jones and Bagnall, I was proud to work on their behalf to correct it. And as a mom of three girls who already spends so much time at practices, games and meets, this one is personal. I want them — and all of our daughters — to know that their games, their talents, and their futures matter every bit as much as anyone else’s.