Texas Cheerleaders Fight School District’s Decision To Ban Religious Signage At Football Games

I support the cheerleaders!

Its your right to freedom of religion! They are a bunch of Hippocrates's! The school's seems to think they are the government! Stand up for yourselves and fight…

Needs to be separation of church and state. I just might not like your brand of church.

Did you seriously just type "Hippocrates's"? The word is hypocrite – and nothing in this story raises any issue of hypocrisy. Public schools ARE an extension of government. They are bound by the First Amendment not to force religious messages on the student body at large. These banners constitute a form of religious indoctrination and certainly have no place as a centerpiece for cheerleaders in a public school. Get over yourself already. Keep your religion out of public education.

There's a little thing we have in America called the Bill Of Rights, and the very first one of those Amendments to our Constitution clearly states that this sort of use of publicly run institutions to disseminate religious doctrine is not permitted. Nobody is saying you don;t have freedom to practice your religion, but when you try and ram it down everyone's throat using the cheerleader squad as a vehicle, you intrude on everyone's right to be free of religious indoctrination. This is a no-brainer. Keep religion in private churches and out of public education. Some of us citizens who don't believe in the Bible have rights too, you know.

But that infringes on the free speach part. As long as the expressions of faith were not required by the school staff, they should be allowed to speak their piece, or peace. If someone is offended by that, go see a mental health specialist. There is no Constitutional right to not be offended.

its your right if you wanna thank God!! I don't even believe, but I believe in freedom.. So go find another country to live in where you have no rights bitch…

I think it's the same as certain scantily-clad individuals who are offensive to others. If THEY are allowed to go around offending others, then Christians should be allowed to display THEIR standing however they choose. I don't recall hearing anything about a dress code, but I'm all for it if it offends people. As well, if someone from another religion came on the scene wearing, say, a turban or whatever, would they be made to take it off at the entrance? Or are those speaking another language made to learn English before entering? Absolutely not! So, back off from Christians!!!!

Here' our amendment of our constitution…..
Amendment I
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.

It's silly as all hell, but of course it should be allowed.

Yeah, back off, meanie! Screw the Establishment Clause and the gray area of whether this is an individual’s free exercise, or an endorsement from publicly funded education. It’s not enough to just push archaic and presumptuous dogma into public education. No! What we really need is to show incessant adoration for a certain one regardless of how much it tells all your Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and especially those non-believer friends of yours that they’ll suffer an eternity of unimaginable anguish for what they don’t believe. Yeah, that’s where our focus should be in fixing our schools and ensuring the future of our children. “Gimmie a J! Gimmie a E! Gimmie an S! Gimmie a U! Gimmie another S! G-o-o-o-o Jesus!”

And just wait and see if there’s ever a time when, say, alchemy’s free speech is infringed upon in chemistry class. I will be citing the Free Exercise Clause.

Yeah, back off, meanie! Screw the Establishment Clause and the gray area of whether this is an individual’s free exercise, or an endorsement from publicly funded education. It’s not enough to just push archaic and presumptuous dogma into public education. No! What we really need is to show incessant adoration for a certain one regardless of how much it tells all your Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and especially those non-believer friends of yours that they’ll suffer an eternity of unimaginable anguish for what they don’t believe. Yeah, that’s where our focus should be in fixing our schools and ensuring the future of our children. “Gimmie a J! Gimmie a E! Gimmie an S! Gimmie a U! Gimmie another S! G-o-o-o-o Jesus!”

And just wait and see if there’s ever a time when, say, alchemy’s free speech is infringed upon in chemistry class. I will be citing the Free Exercise Clause.

Even Bite Me our V.P. likes what a cheerleader does with hardwood! What an Idiot!

The separation of church and government is to keep the government out of the church and NOT the church out of the government! Islam is a perfect example: they practice Shariah Law and they are GOVERNED by it!

Thank you Chris. Not all people that are in sports are religious. They are there for team support, not to try and shove there beliefs down other peoples throats. I guess that's what "Church" is for. Some people can actually think for themselves without other people telling them what is right and wrong and what they should believe, and how they should act.

I support the cheerleaders also, I think that if more students in this country had that type of upbringing there would be a lot less problems in our public schools. The cheerleaders have a freedom of speech and the signs are a form of free speech. Every one is allowed to have free speech except Christians, why do we have to stiffle our speech so as not to offend other people that can be a vulgar as they want and don't have to watch their speech. They can be offensive and use terrible language and nothing is ever said about their disgusting language in the news but you let a Christian speak what they believe it is all over the news and every one is jumping on them to not talk about their faith in public. If it were a muslam then we would be appoligizing for not bowing down to them as they entered the gate.

AIt Always has been & should remain so!! I think the Govermenment is going WAY TO FAR!!! It is my Belief that as a child we were allowed to say the pledgeof allegengence to the flag at the beginning of every school day & every type of sports game!! We never had the problem in the schools that we do know!! This country wasbuilt on the freedom of religiom& the freedom of spech now the current administation is trying to take that away from us & rewrite our Constitution!!! It's te for them

To ALL GO NOW!!!!

why do people ignore the first clause of the very same amendment they "quote" when claiming free speech rights? Then read the article:

“The cheerleading squad is clearly a school-sponsored group representing the school at the football game. The religious banners, therefore, send a message of school endorsement of religion, even though it was students holding up the banners for the players to run through.”

“based on [the] 2001 Supreme Court decision that keeps religion out of public schools.”

your examples do not address the issue here. We're not talking about spectators in the stands. We are talking about the school-organized cheerleading squad making players on the team jump through their religious banner. What about the kids on the team (or for that matter any of the other cheerleaders) who don't subscribe to the Judeo-Christian fairytale? Why should they be forced to participate in this religious ritual?

Calling me "bitch" because I don't share your view … aren't you the classy, intelligent one. And you're not the one supporting the side of freedom here, Craz – you believe everyone who attends the football game (and the players in the game itself) should be forced to accept the display of religious messages as part of a public school function. Claiming that you support freedom – well, that's rather "Hippocrates-ical" of you.

do they act as agressively to keep islam out of school, why has this not been challenged. Maybe the jurists should be impeached for failing to uphold the constitution. They are legislating by court order, I don't think that was the intent of the 3 part system

what the hell are you talking about? Islam in schools? Turn off Faux News and think for yourself.

I grew up in school were there was prayer and i pledged to the flag everyday.. I still had respect for others, and respected their prayer time.. I didn't pray and I am not dwelling on it!! But respect for others and their beliefs, no difference than you walking around displaying who you are.. If the KKK can come to our town and demo-state their beliefs, than why can't a Christian ?

One example of many: http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Islam-in-America-s-public-schools-Education-or-2482820.php
Get your liberal head out of your ass, grow a pair, and try thinking about what may be good for the survival pf our country. If you are so smart, why are you not aware?

The first clause in the bill of rights reads and I quote,"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 peacefully to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances". So the government has invaded our right to exercise our freedom of religion and our freedom of speech along the way.

So the government has invaded our right to exercise our freedom of religion and our freedom of speech along the way.

And just where do these rights come from (hint: the government)? What about all those non-x-tians who are getting bible quotes shoved in their faces? I know they don't count, but really? Is it not enough churches don't get taxed and you people get most of the government holidays? Is there no square inch of earth to be free of endless proselytizing and mindless ghost worship?

Now read this over and over until it sinks in, because you apparently didn't read it the first time:
The cheerleading squad is clearly a school-sponsored group representing the school at the football game. The religious banners, therefore, send a message of school endorsement of religion
The religious banners, therefore, send a message of school endorsement of religion
The religious banners, therefore, send a message of school endorsement of religion

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.

and the frothy bits about "muslam" really are precious.

Because all religions are dangerous to me, not just the brown ones. I'm plenty aware and smart enough to see through the tired old "but they do it too" bullshit smokescreen.

If this article was about Quran verses I would be saying the same thing. But it's about Christian indoctrination and I choose to stay on topic. So until we have state boards of education putting little Mohammed stickers in science textbooks, I'll worry more about the much more common religion that wears execution devices on necklaces and diddle little boys, thank you.

Displaying a sign is not the definition of "ramming down your throat" If you can't figure out the difference, I am sure we can find a member of our military to show you the difference. BTW, there are no atheists in a firefight

Displaying a sign is not the definition of "ramming down your throat" If you can't figure out the difference, I am sure we can find a member of our military to show you the difference. BTW, there are no atheists in a firefight

Ah yes, the old "no atheists in a firefight" cliche. Aside from being an assertion you could never prove, it's also a really simplistic notion that someone who in the throes of death blindly cries out for magical help from above is somehow a "believer." Someone who is facing death and suddenly decides to "pray" is not displaying faith or belief; they are acting irrationally out of desperation. And, assuming your little comment about "showing you the difference" was a thinly veiled threat, go screw yourself, Charlie. And keep your religious indoctrination out of public eduction already.

Pink, shut the f up, you sound like the type who if given the ability, would squelch all free speach, and practice of religion. For that matter, any POV that differs from yours. I spent a lot of time protectiing the rights of people like you to have those thoughts, whether I agree or not. You should consider doing something like that too.
I don't know where your anger towards organized rekigion. or is it just Judeo-Christion, comes from, but you have some serious issues

according to the very article you cited, the egregious examples of highly pro-Islam textbooks or school assemblies were almost all immediately challenged and corrective measures were taken. A handful of misguided and blatantly obvious attempts at Islamic indoctrination were promptly addressed and rectified, thanks to groups like the ACLU. The same principles must apply to all religions as far as public education is concerned. I wouldn't want my son playing football and jumping through banners with Quran verses on them any more than I want them jumping through Bible verses.

Thank God we do have these people of superior inteligence to wipe our noses and keep us from inbreeding, sorry massa Chris I jus thought I'd add sumpin. You and your like are too arrogent to listen to thoughts that don't coincide with yours. Liberalism has to have it's elitism, that's why we put up with you and you ilk

or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, Therefore they are prohibiting the free exercise of practicing. And it is thrown in our faces every time we leave the house about the people who do not believe in our faith, there are all sorts of advertisements that are offensive, and activists that proclaim things that go against what we believe and try to force us to accept their way of life when it goes against every thing we believe, so a little faith is not going to hurt you when we have to put up with all the worldly things that get jammed down our throats.

Chris Hewitt obviously you did not read the article all the cheerleaders, and players agreed on the signs, it is only the adults that are anti-christian that are having a problem

Can you please quote the section of the article where it says that the cheerleaders and players all agreed on the signs? Obviously you are reading something into the article that was not there. And it's not being "anti-Christian" to demand that religious sloganeering be kept out of public education. Why do you hard-core Christians get so uptight about not being allowed to proselytize when and where you please? Do you not have any grasp of the concept of separation of church and state?

I actually don’t think free speech should be censored. If someone thinks a race, gender, or sexual orientation shouldn’t have the same civil rights, they should go ahead and bring that to the table. If they think Xenu and the Galactic Federation should be the center of our attention, go ahead, bring it. Republican ideology, bring it. Democratic ideology… we get the point. In other words, since outlawing hateful thoughts, or ridiculous ideas, or agenda driven politics, isn’t rational, bring it all to the table for scrutiny and ridicule, because until ideas or discoveries can stand up to that, they don’t deserve much attention. Actions are another story. When those same people actually try to take away the rights of others, or harm them, then yes, that’s where their right to believe should find their boundaries. I respect people’s right to believe, but that doesn’t mean I, in any way, need, or even should, respect their beliefs.

Yes, believe and pray all you want; be republican all you want; be a Scientologist till you audit out every last thetan; believe 911 was an inside job; make a case for Allah and Mohammed; be a polygamist who believes Jesus will return to a temple not yet built in Missouri, be free to believe whatever bullshit nonsense you want. But really? Having a sectarian banner for the team to come busting through to open a high school game?! Really? So, replace that banner with a Republican banner, or a 911 conspiracy banner, or banner questioning Obama’s birth certificate. Seriously, just imagine the indignation of 911 truthers crying censorship when told the school was not the place to have the team go busting through a banner asking why nobody tested for explosives at the WTC. It’d be a very appropriate ridicule to make a banner saying that since they also didn't do a pest inspection that maybe we should look at termites. “Oh, but it was the students own volition… the poor students, they’re being censored”? Utter bullshit.

Christian doctrine is absolute. Not only does is it say we should believe every jot and tittle without question, but that not questioning it, and exalting it above all else, is our highest moral endeavor. “Blessed are those who have faith in what they cannot see.” What does Christian doctrine say we MUST do for God to make us strong, and what is the penalty for not accepting Jesus' compulsory love?

Tony Pink look us Christians up after the rapture and tell us there is no God. Oh wait you won't be able to because you won't be where we are.

lol

Charlie Wade At least I can spell.

Sure are a lot of christians in prison, though.

Charlie I figured out Tony Pink's problem he is stuck in the university of Toledo so close to the MI border where the muslims are taking over They have no original thoughts they are spoonfed every thought they have. He has a deep fear of being free it is he captive syndrome where they sympathize with their captives. At least the cheerleaders had the courage to stand for what they believe in and so did the football team that went through the signs seems to me that the whole town was behind them.

separation of church and state is only valid if the people putting up the banners were paid employes of the school, cheerleaders are not school employes there are students protected by the first amendment, therefore they can write anything they want in the banners.