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The Wauwatosa School District has filed a lawsuit against the WIAA over this spring's controversial conference realignment, according to Andrew Gruman of NOW Newspapers.

Often a contentious process, the realignment process in southeast Wisconsin generated considerable discussion for nearly two years, with multiple plans proposed, disseminated, and voted on. Ultimately, the WIAA Board of Control gave final approval to a plan at its April meeting by a vote of 7-4. The full plan can be found here.

At both informal realignment discussions and WIAA Board of Control meetings, several administrators of impacted schools spoke passionately in favor of and against various proposals, including the plan that was ultimately passed. WIAA Associate Director Deb Hauser, who is in charge of realignment for the association, was the target of much of the scorn, noting at several meetings that she felt personally attacked.

There were indications that a lawsuit could be forthcoming after the proposal was passed, and in a column from January titled, 'Fearless (and some not-so-Fearless) Predictions for 2016', I predicted the WIAA would be sued at some point this year, perhaps over conference realignment.

Wisconsin is the only state in the country that leaves conference designations up to the state governing body. It has long been a source of frustration for the WIAA's executive staff, and at the 2014 Annual Meeting, an amendment that would have given the job of conference realignment back to the schools failed miserably by a vote of 400-26.

The WIAA released the following statement regarding the lawsuit:

"We acknowledge realignment can be an emotional issue. The WIAA Board of Control is delegated the authority to establish conference alignment within the membership. Oftentimes, unanimous or consensus agreement by schools involved is unattainable.

Two years ago, the membership reaffirmed by a vote of 400-26 that the Board of Control continue to be responsible for conference realignment. 

With regard to the Southeast Wisconsin realignment, after considering several plans and providing numerous opportunities for schools impacted to engage in the discussion, as well as inviting the member schools to come back to them with a better plan, we believe the Board acted within the scope of their authority."