Banners at Texas H.S. football game questioned

(CBS News) KOUNTZE, Texas - In Texas, high school football is often compared to a religion. Now some cheerleaders at a public high school are fighting for the right to display a banner with a distinctly Christian message.

Friday night under the lights in Kountze, Texas, with the band, the fans, the players -- and something different: a banner with a Christian message, written by the school's cheerleaders.

"We just thought that it would be a really great message to get across," said cheerleader Rebekah Richardson.

But that message is now at the center of a legal battle. The school superintendent banned the religious-themed banners last month when a Wisconsin group claimed they violate the separation of church and state. A judge has allowed the practice to continue, until he rules.

On Friday night, there were more religious signs than ever from friends and family who say the cheerleaders messages on the banners are free speech.

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"Both the U.S. Constitution and the Texas constitution guarantee the right to freely express your religious viewpoint," said attorney David Starnes, whom the cheerleaders' parents have hired to keep the Christian banners.

He said because the girls decided to use the Bible verses on their own, and not the at the school's request, it's their protected speech. And even at a school football game? "Yes, even at a school football game," said Starnes.

Still, among the overwhelming support for the girls, there are signs that some believe religion has no place here, including 2005 Kountze High graduate, Lindsey Brackin.

"Once you start doing it, it's a slippery slope," she said. "Here it's a very big Christian community. But what if somebody came out and wanted to put scripture from the Koran or the Torah on it? Would it get the same positive reaction? If you do it for one group, you have to do it for everybody."

Asked if the judge said that the banners cannot be done anymore, Morgan Coplen, a cheerleader, answered: "It would be crushing to our team and the football team, and to many of our citizens."

The judge said he will hand down a decision in two weeks, but that likely will not end the legal battle, as both sides say they will continue to fight to make their case.

[NewsCommentrator]

There are secodary questions that have not been asked of the participants. What of anyone who wanted to post, as mentioned, phrases & references related to other religions, agnostics &, athiests. What about team members who felt uncomfortable or disrelated; was there social pressure to conform and how much?
Translations into American of even the "T'HEeLieM" is often subject to various editing efforts. In the begining of the five books we can see this as when what is written as "...day [?] one or one day..." is usually written as 'the first day' instead. They are no more identical than is killing and murder. Not all killings are murders!

[lbkazlow]

This is a clear violation of the separation of church and state, and these banners should be taken down immediately. Those of us who are not Christians should not have to be subjected to proselytizing at a public event. I find this extremely offensive!

[pauldietzel1]

At a game earlier this season at our local H.S., the student cheering section had a banner saying something like " We win with the help of the Lord and Jesus " I was momentarily taken aback until I recalled that the kids were referring to one player with the surname "Lord" and another with the given name "Jesus"

[uisignorant]

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

Seems like we always forget about the prohibiting part...

[joe1022joe]

The left continues to try to jamb it's view of life down everyone's throat. All the US Constitution requires is that the government can't require a citizen to join a religious group and can't tax people to provide money for religions. Other than that, it doesn't say anything about separation of church and state. That has all been cooked up by judges. What's known as "judge made law."

[endrepubs]

That might be how the Taliban do it, but here in America, we value separation of Church and State. Stop this religious nonsense.

[Ainogod]

Church and State aside.... It's just dumb to relate scriptures to a football game.

[faithforalloflife]

Christians who understand their historical faith know that there is no area of life that is exempt from the precepts of the Bible, the book God wrote to show us how to live. Your confusion is understandable, though, because so many pastors and teachers of the faith have misrepresented the Bible through error or ignorance. There are robust, truthful teachers: RC Sproul and the late Rushdoony as well as John MacArthur to name a few. Whatever you do, whether investing, eating, raise a family, build a marriage, run for political office, start and run a business, develop a career, grow up as a child, study any subject, whatever you do, the Bible is the authoritative guide to do it correctly. Unless you've studied scripture extensively, a little daily, for many days, you won't comprehend this. I have and there are many of us who have found that our lives only have value as we love and obey God and His Word.

[phwtb100]

It's NONE of the governments business what these kids do. They are guaranteed in the FIRST AMENDMENT:

"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."

And that is ALL the Constitution says about religion.

You GO GIRLS!!

[skeezix06]

Your rights end where mine begin.

[skeezix06]

What the cheerleaders are doing is comparable to telemarketers calling on your phone and annoying you. Your rights end where mine begin.

[Ainogod]

Church and State aside.... It's just dumb to relate scriptures to a football game.

[skeezix06]

Kountze lost their game Friday night. I would call that just deserts or poetic justice.

I find it amazing that people in this country think they're being discriminated against because the people who they try to proselytize to object. Maybe in a show of support for other religions, Kountze could put up Muslim religious banners next week, Wicca religious banners the week after that, and some atheist banners the third week?

In other words, you can't include yourself and exclude others.

[sandisun]

This has been my exact thoughts..the verses are good BUT what if everyone put up religious signs...wouldnt be able to see the ball game...and they are many other religions in our country now and thats supposely what we're about isnt it?