Despite a large public outcry over its decision to censor Bible verse banners held by high school football cheerleaders on the playing field, a Georgia school board is refusing to change its mind. However, the controversial policy has compelled many students to passionately defend their free-speech rights and proclaim their Christian beliefs.
The Catoosa County Board of Education in Georgia decided last night that it will continue to ban Bible-verse banners held by cheerleaders on the Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School football field. The ban was put in place after one woman complained the on-field banners violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Many Christian parents and students in the community have voiced their disapproval of the ban by wearing "Warriors for Christ" T-shirts to football games and displaying scores of posters with Bible verses. And the Board's decision on Tuesday night came despite another round of pleas from Christian parents who attended the meeting. The Chattanooga Times Free Press quotes Board chairman Don Dycus, who said: "We adopted a resolution as a board unanimously at our October 1 meeting acknowledging that [Superintendent Denia] Reese had made a difficult but the right decision....that resolution stands." Local youth pastor Brad Scott recently set up a Facebook page and organized a large rally in support of the cheerleaders and their Bible-verse banners. He says opponents of the ban were disappointed with the school board's decision, but do not feel defeated. "We felt a sense of accomplishment because now one sign turned into hundreds of signs that are displayed now in the stands in the stadium," says the youth pastor. "So we're happy with the end result that we've seen, the accomplishment we've seen, because this has turned into a national wave of support for Christ." Scott says the matter has not been completely put to the rest. He is meeting with a local attorney today to discuss other forms of recourse Christians may now have.
If you believe OneNewsNow.com is an important source for Christian news, please consider a small tax-deductible gift for this service.
