Now this is something we haven’t see before: high school cheerleaders getting in trouble over the banners they make for football players to run through as they come out onto the field before the game. At most schools they have the team’s nickname or some motivational phrase like “Go Team!” written on them. But not at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School in Tennessee where the tradition since 2003 has been to put  a good Bible verse out there. And yep, someone has lodged a complaint.

Community members are rallying around Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School cheerleaders after they were banned from displaying signs with Bible verses urging fans and players to “commit to the Lord” and “take courage and do it.”

The banners — the paper ones that football players crash through at the beginning of games — have been common sights in the school’s football stadium since 2003, local officials say. “The cheerleaders are not trying to push a religious cause, to shove religion down someone’s throat,” said local youth minister Brad Scott, who was LFO High’s class president in 2004. “The cheerleaders are just using Scripture to show motivation and inspiration to the players and the fans.”

Catoosa County Schools spokeswoman Marissa Brower said a Fort Oglethorpe resident lodged a verbal complaint to Superintendent Denia Reese last week, saying that the display of a Bible verse on the football field is a violation of federal law.  At a football game on the school’s field, cheerleaders at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School hold up a sign with a Biblical verse on it. After a complaint last week, the school has banned the cheerleaders from using any more signs with religious statements on them, saying it violates the U.S. Constitution.

A school system statement released Monday said the message constitutes “a violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution for signs with Bible verses to be displayed on the football field.”

Chattanooga Times Free Press | Cheerleaders’ religious signs draw fire

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We’re still not completely clear on what happened here, but it appears that a high school band director just couldn’t wait for a police officer to escort he and the band back into the stadium and tried to push past officers. Yeah, the cops didn’t care for that move. No word on the outcome of the game.

A south Georgia band director didn’t get a chance to cheer his team to a win Friday night. He was arrested at an Albany game. Dougherty County School police arrested Cairo High School Band Director 57-year-old Johnny Folsom as his school’s team played Monroe Comprehensive High School.  Police said he tried to get into the stadium and was told to wait for an officer to escort him and the band back into the stadium, instead of waiting he tried pushed past officers.

Band director arrested at football game – WALB.com News, Weather and Sports for Albany, Valdosta and Thomasville. Leading the way for South Georgia. |

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