The cheerleaders have been banned from holding signs that displayed Bible verses during football games.
The signs — which are made of paper and the kind that football players traditionally break through at the beginning of games — had statements such as “Commit to the Lord.”
A crowd of more than 100 clapped as Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High alumni, cheerleaders and athletes, local youth leaders and even state Rep. Jay Neal of Chickamauga spoke out against the ban.
“I’ve sat back for too long and lost my Christian rights,” one speaker said.
Neal said the situation has become a “defining moment” for the school.
At approximately 7:15 p.m., Fort Oglethorpe police announced that all vehicles parked on Barnhardt Circle had to move, to which they received boos. The rally then went on as scheduled.
Logan Fields, a former Lakeview Fort-Oglethorpe High football player, said the signs were tradition and that he remembers seeing them at games when he was a child.
At the rally’s midpoint, a petition to the Catoosa County school board was made available.
The ban came after a Fort Oglethorpe resident made a verbal complaint to superintendent of Catoosa schools Denia Reese, saying the display of a Bible verse on the football field is a violation of federal law.
Here is the school system’s written statement on the issue:
“Catoosa County Public Schools has determined it is a violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution for signs with Bible verses to be displayed on the football field. Superintendent Denia Reese said, “I regret that we had to ask the LFO cheerleaders to change the signs used in the stadium prior to football games. Personally, I appreciate this expression of their Christian values; however, as Superintendent I have the responsibility of protecting the school district from legal action by groups who do not support their beliefs.
“The 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution forbids the enactment of any law or practice “respecting an establishment of religion.” The purpose of the Bill of Rights was to protect the rights of the minority; for this reason, the stamp of approval of religion by the government is not a matter subject to majority vote.
“Regarding public education, families entrust public schools with the education of their children, but condition their trust on the understanding that school activities will not purposely be used to advance religious views that may conflict with their religious beliefs. As a result, the courts prohibit Rabbi-led prayers at school sporting events, Wiccan posters in gymnasiums, and reading the Koran over the school public announcement system.
“The U.S. Supreme Court and Court of Appeals have ruled that religious activities at high school football games create the “inescapable conclusion” that the school endorses the religious activity. Violations of these rulings can lead to lawsuits resulting in injunctions, unnecessary legal costs and damages that have to be paid by the local taxpayers, and possibly the loss of federal funding.
“‘I regret that the cheerleaders can not display their signs in the football stadium without violating the first amendment,” Reese said. “I rely on reading the Bible daily, and I would never deny our students the opportunity to express their religious beliefs. We have researched alternatives, and I am pleased that we can designate an area outside the stadium to display the signs prior to games at LFO. I appreciate that our community has rallied in support of this LFO tradition.”
Kleenex is on isles 12
Exactly! I’m not a Christian, but if you think that’s the correct philosophy, grow a pair and tell people about it. If you think people who aren’t Christian go to hell, then it’s you DUTY to spread the word. Don’t be a sissy armchair Christian.
“”Granted there are appropriate times and places for everything””
Again this is correct. This is a delicate case, that definitely falls in the gray area.
“”For those who would be offended, such as athiests and other fanatical peoples, I have no sympathy for you. Quit you whining and counter it. Is there actually anything that you can bring to the table to counter it with? That remains to be seen, except for the incessant moaning that comes from that direction.””
Other fanatical peoples? Lol Everyone who’s not Xtian is fanatical now?
Anyway, it isn’t ‘moaning’ when talking about Constitutional rights. If someone feels that the Constitution is being trampled, I consider it patriotic for them to stand up and ‘moan’ about it.
Granted there are appropriate times and places for everything, but to squelch the Constitutionally given right of free speech is what is wrong.
For those who would be offended, such as athiests and other fanatical peoples, I have no sympathy for you. Quit you whining and counter it. Is there actually anything that you can bring to the table to counter it with? That remains to be seen, except for the incessant moaning that comes from that direction.
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I agree with you the precedent does apply. But the Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling in Morse v. Frederick, (bong hits for jesus) which held that Alaska public school officials DID NOT violate Joseph Frederick's free speech rights by punishing him for displaying a banner during a public event.
Also if you want to find out if a Football game is a school event and subject to the first amendment check out Santa Fe Independent School Dist. v. Doe
I am a Christian, if you were not smart enough to gather that from what I have said above. Regardless, I do believe in the separation of church and state. While I was the Christian teachings to reach every living person, I do not want some piece of trash pushing a false religion on children or others.
"While I was the Christian teachings"? Don't you mean "want"?
I will not comment any further. The words tell it all.
Science book present no facts about the origins of human life. Darwin, while seemingly intelligent, was nothing more than a seething, agnostic idiot. It is people like him that lead masses into believing lies, you obviously being a bandwagon member.
I see no reason why the cheerleader cannot hold that sign. The courts have held that students can lead prayer at football games, but cannot use the public address system. If the cheerleader were to make his or her own sign, then I see it no different than that cheerleader leading a prayer. This is contingent on the fact that the faculty or staff at the school are not advising the student to hold or make the sign in question.
I am a Christian, if you were not smart enough to gather that from what I have said above. Regardless, I do believe in the separation of church and state. While I was the Christian teachings to reach every living person, I do not want some piece of trash pushing a false religion on children or others.
I’m a pretty staunch defender of personal liberty. So I think there are many ways the cheerleaders can and should display their religiousness.
However, they are imposing their beliefs on the football players that run through the signs.
Kinda makes me uneasy to just assume that the entire team is Christian.
Especially since many people in places like Rome have to hide their religious beliefs because of prejudice.
Also, let’s not forget… this is dangerous ground b/c if you let one religious sign fly, you have to let them all. What’s going to happen when there’s a ‘praise Allah’ sign, or how about a sign honoring the Flying Spaghetti Monster?
Personally I kind of like the solution they came up with... a separate religious area.
I really don't see anything wrong with their signs.
Ignore the sign if you don't like what it says.
Keep your mouth shut, live and let live.
It's not an easy case, but there is recent precedent in the case of the students who held a sign "Bong hits for Jesus". The courts ruled that the school had violated the first amendment rights of those students by removing the sign. This precedent does apply to this event and the rights of those cheerleaders.
Also a high school football game in the state of Georgia is not a government sanctioned event. The GHSA sanctions all sporting events in the state and they are a volunteer organization and not governed by the state, hence the reason you have to pay to watch the game.
transported: as far as reading the bible...I 100% agree with you. It is how I became an Atheist! So, I encourage everyone to read the bible from cover to cover. Just read it as you would any other book and it is plain to see that it is the most horrific thing in print and I would never allow my children to read it until they are 16-18.
One book in the bible states how god commanded his chosen people to slay everything in a city and then slice pregnant women's bellies open. Look for it though you may miss it with all of the other horror.
The bible is an epic fail!
Would they protest as much in defense if some one complained about verses from other religions.
Uh, what exactly are "Christian rights"?
And somebody please help me: What does cheerleading have to do with Christianity?
So, at a public event do we need Cheerleaders For Jesus "urging fans and players to 'commit to the Lord'"?
I do not think so.
While the cheerleaders have a right to express religious views, could they be seen as imposing those views on the players who have to run through the sign?
What if one of the players wasn't Christian.... or what if the signs praised Allah, and the Christian players had to run through them?
I say let the cheerleaders display what ever symbology they want, but keep it on their own physical person.
(the 1st amendment keeps the school from endorsing or mandating religious activity, but the students enjoy the liberty to carry and express whatever view they want.)
If you must mention the seperation of church and state at least get it right...our founding fathers (who were christians) didn't want government telling the church what it could and could not do...so get off your high horse and read these scriptures you may very well learn something...uhm then go read the constitution and by the way there is mention of the LORD in there too...
GOD BLESS
transported
It's there for a reason...Not everyone believes in your "invisible man in the sky"...I find it offensive to have to see that while at a govt. sanctioned event