Tim Tebow can love Jesus. But can cheerleaders at a public high school? A Texas judge ruled this week that they can.
This story has been circulating for several months. As we’ve reported here on ILYBYGTH, in September the Kountze Independent School District banned high school cheerleaders from displaying Bible-based banners at football games. Prompted by the Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation, the school district worried that such displays violated the Constitution.
Parents fought back. They argued that the cheer squad was a student organization, not funded by public dollars. As such, the students’ religious speech was protected by the Constitution.
Earlier this week, according to a local TV station, District Judge Steve Jones ruled that the cheerleaders should be allowed to continue with their religious messages.
End of story? Not quite. The school district has promised to change its policies, which might give it the right to ban such banners again.
lorimakesquilts
/ May 10, 2013Ugh, maybe if they weren’t wearing uniforms with the school name and such all over it — but as it stands they are representatives of the school. Bad ruling.
lorimakesquilts
/ May 10, 2013Ugh, they’re wearing uniforms that have the school name all over them, they represent the school! Those signs say “christian school” to everyone watching. Bad ruling.
Donna
/ October 1, 2013http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/10/the-case-against-high-school-sports/309447/