My church choir has me moving from Bass to Tenor for the last year to fill in. I have a new-found appreciation for a guy being able to hit those high notes. My Director sees my temporary assignment as Diving retribution for having denigrated the masculitity of the Tenor Section for all those years.
If this kid really is able to sing the part, I would love to hear him. At 17, he is old enough to decide which part to sing and to make an informed decision about the risks. How many kids get killed playing football in Texas every year, and the school is worried about this boy getting a sore throat?
Dying playing football in Texas is perfectly acceptable -- it's FOOTBALL!! Singing soprano in Texas isn't acceptable. Apparently, the Vienna Boys Choir wouldn't be welcome in Texas either. Not that Texas needs culture -- after all, they already have football, big hats, big hair, and tumbleweeds.
If he's that good, you might as well let him. Though it is kinda funny to hear a guy sing soprano.