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September 21, 2012
Judge Okays Bible-Verse Banners For Cheerleaders
Texas judge grants temporary injunction against superintendent's ban on religious-themed signs.
Parents who objected to their school district's ban on religious language won an unexpected victory from a Texas judge this week, who ruled that the ban amounted to unnecessary censorship on private speech.
Superintendent Kevin Weldon forbid cheerleaders at Kountze High School (KHS) in Beaumont, Tex., from displaying Bible verses on signs at KHS football games. However, parents filed suit against the district and obtained a temporary restraining order allowing their children to use the banners.
Weldon told KHOU, Houston-area radio station that, as a state employee, he could not permit the banners, even though he is Christian.
"I was advised that such a practice (religious signs) would be in direct violation of United State Supreme Court decisions,” Weldon said.
“The cheerleading squad is clearly a school-sponsored group representing the school at the football game,” he told KHOU. “The religious banners, therefore, send a message of school endorsement of religion."
Comments
Whether the ban on religious banners is constitutional or not depends on a circumstance that may never occur in TX: whether only Christian banners would be allowed. Or would banners representing Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, etc., also be allowed?
If the answer to the 2nd question is "No", then the school -- a public, government-sponsored institution -- is promoting one specific religious faith, which is in clear violation of the "establishment" clause of the First Amendment.
If the answer is "Yes", then there would be no violation.
Of course, there probably are not many Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, etc., in that part of TX -- but that is an assumption on my part.
JRC
Posted By: James R. Cowles | September 25, 2012 4:04 PM
United States Constitution – Amendment 1
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The school ban on religious banners is in clear violation of the students First Amendment rights to religious freedom as "the free exercise thereof". It is time for Christians in America to stand up for their faith regardless of atheist interpretations of the Constitution.
Posted By: William Caplinger | September 26, 2012 6:21 PM
America was founded under Christian religion, not Muslim and if you research history you would know Hinduism as the first known religion, although it is not strictly a religion in the formal sense of the word, but a spiritual Tradition. Animism is believed to be the oldest religion on earth. Animism has been practised by Australian aborigines for at least sixty thousand years. There is also early evidence of animism in European cave art. Christianity and Islam are both evolutions of Judaism but Christianity goes back the begging and Islam goes back to Abraham's first son - Ishmael - by his wife's maid. Isaac - his son from Sara - was the father of the line of kings (and from there came Jesus). Bottom line is this is a Christian Nation and as Christian's we gave asylum for people who want to come to America, the land of the free. It was not to to start a new religion that choked out what our forefathers built this country around God, Freedom or choice, Freedom of Speech and "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness".. So help me God!
Posted By: jack | September 26, 2012 9:03 PM
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