HS Track Team Disqualified When Runner Gestures Thanks to God

[green73]

The Columbus High School Mighty Cardinals had won the 4x100-meter relay--by seven yards, no less--and had a shot at the state championship. That was until Junior sprinter Derrick Hayes pointed to the sky. Hayes's father, K.C., said that his son made a gesture of thanks to God, but raising a hand to the sky is considered excessive celebration according to the state scholastic rules. And with that, the team was disqualified.

"It was a reaction," K.C. Hayes said. "You're brought up your whole life that God gives you good things, you're blessed."

Many interviewed around town said that this was a violation of freedom of religion rights. Columbus High School said that religious gestures are not banned, but they must be done off of the competition field or court.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/05/03/track-team-disqualified-for-religious-gesture

[Yieu]

Columbus High School said that religious gestures are not banned, but they must be done off of the competition field or court.

In other words, they are banned on the competition field or court. How can they possibly reason to themselves that equals "not banned"?

It's not banned, you just can't do it.

[UtahApocalypse]

"hey look a plane"

Still disqualified?

[AGRP]

raising a hand to the sky is considered excessive celebration according to the state scholastic rules. And with that, the team was disqualified.

Sports is excessive celebration. This is no different than penalizing a singer or dancer for being too expressive.

[Petar]

Organized sports are designed to take all of the fun out of any particular game.

[Philhelm]

"hey look a plane"

Still disqualified?

Depends. Is it flying into a skyscraper?

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

The idiot that disqualified him deserves to be fucked in the ass. No, seriously.

[paulbot24]

The idiot that disqualified him deserves to be fucked in the ass. No, seriously.

He'll get his. I'm sure he'll be attempting to board a plane soon enough. "Say hello to Mr. Freedom Wand. Just a routine inspection."

[RockEnds]

So is falling to your knees after winning the 4x800 also a disqualifying religious act? I really loved track meets when my boys were teenagers. I'm so glad things weren't this ridiculous then.

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

I hope they fight this, sue based on religious discrimination or something. If I won an important event and some turd said I'm disqualified for being happy that I won, he'd be begging God for help after I'm done with him.

[paulbot24]

No excessive celebrating! Now everybody pat everybody else on the butt and congratulate each other because you're all winners! How candyass.

[SkepticalMetal]

Typical school schlock.

[Natural Citizen]

Hm. I see high school players make the same gestures during at bats at baseball games all of the time. The team even prays before every high school game. Nobody seems to have an issue with it. Parents, staff, recruiters all are usually in attendance. Heck, they even circle the mound with captains in the middle on the rubber and pray once in a while at the end of the game. This initself could be considered a symbolic gesture but still no gripes.

[Bruno]

The idiot that disqualified him deserves to be fucked in the ass. No, seriously.

Wow. Talk about over reacting and punishment not matching the crime.

[AGRP]

Hm. I see high school players make the same gestures during at bats at baseball games all of the time. The team even prays before every high school game. Nobody seems to have an issue with it. Parents, staff, recruiters all are usually in attendance. Heck, they even circle the mound with captains in the middle on the rubber and pray once in a while at the end of the game. This initself could be considered a symbolic gesture but still no gripes.

Sport = Expression

A team could express themselves as buddhists, atheists, or barbie girls if they wanted.

Curbing expression in sports is like using emotions to solve math equations.

[paulbot24]

Curbing expression in sports is like using emotions to solve math equations.

Does this count?

http://qph.is.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-66c6763c4db7a12c7f1afa87bd560d8c

[jmdrake]

So is falling to your knees after winning the 4x800 also a disqualifying religious act? I really loved track meets when my boys were teenagers. I'm so glad things weren't this ridiculous then.

I guess if you fall on your knees and kiss an image in honor of statism that will be okay.

[jmdrake]

Does this count?

http://qph.is.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-66c6763c4db7a12c7f1afa87bd560d8c

LOL Good stuff!

[Carson]

Isn't the separation of religion and the state suppose to protect you from this kind of abuse?