CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - The state Board of Education has unanimously rejected a proposal to create separate state championships for private school football and basketball teams.

Today's vote follows a meeting yesterday at which the board was warned that passage of the proposal could lead to lawsuits. The plan had been approved in April by the West Virginia
Secondary School Activities Commission Board of Control.

It targeted Class A powerhouses Wheeling Central, Charleston Catholic and Parkersburg Catholic. In boys basketball alone, they have won seven of the last eight Class A titles.

But SSAC Executive Director Mike Hayden, an opponent of the plan, told the school board that private and public schools have won about the same number of championships over the past ten years.

Public sentiment seemed to be against the idea, based on written comments received by the school board and S-S-A-C during a 30-day public comment period.

Letters opposing a separate classification for private schools outnumber letters favoring it 76-to-49.