Posted on 05/03/2013 2:14:35 AM PDT by markomalley
Some people are outraged after a high school track team is disqualified from competing in state finals because one runner made a religious gesture. In just a few seconds the boys Columbus High School 4 X 100 relay team went from winning the regional meet, heading to state championships to having it all stripped away. How did the "W" so quickly become "DQ"? Well. when the anchor of the relay team crossed the finish line, he won the race, raised his finger to the sky and that gesture caused the winning regional's relay team to be disqualified.
"It's a sad deal. I think it's a travesty. Those kids work hard," says K.C. Hayes. Hayes' son Derrick Hayes is the runner who won the race then pointed to God, turning a once in a lifetime opportunity into a huge heartbreak that will likely last his lifetime. "As a team they reached their goal and in an instant it was just gone, over something we think is a non-issue. I guess someone else thinks it is an issue. He just said dad I was pointing at the heavens" says K.C. Hayes.
A judge with the University Interscholastic League or UIL, which enforces the rules for high school athletics, was there at the meet in Kingsville and made the call to disqualify the four member relay team. "For those kids the work they put in, what are we teaching them? Ok you're going to sacrifice, work hard and do everything it takes and ok it's just ripped away," says Hayes.
"It's a harsh consequence for what some people may deem a small gesture. The rule states no celebratory gestures including raising your arms," explains Columbus I.S.D. Superintendent Robert O'Connor. According to the UIL the relay team was disqualified for "unsporting conduct". The UIL also points out, it does not have a rule prohibiting religious expression. "You can do whatever you want to in terms of prayer, kneeling or whatever you want to once you get out of the competition area. You just can't do it in the competition area. It goes back to the taunting rule. I can't taunt my opponent," O'Connor explains.
"It's not a malicious act. It's not a taunting act. It's a 'we did it' and he (my son) knows where the source comes from. I know him. He's not a malicious kid. On the football field he'll hit you and then help you up," Hayes says.
"It's heartbreaking," says O'Connor. Superintendent O'Connor says since Saturday's track meet and the disqualification he has received a number of nasty emails. One read 'Dear sir, you, are an idiot'. O'Connor wants to stress this is not his decision. This is coming from the UIL. In fact, the district protested the disqualification but the UIL is not changing the decision.
F*n crap.. the bureaucrats and policy wonks can go f themselves.. what a p*ssy-whupped nation
Not formally. But in no longer applies to Christians.
Yes, I recall in Christian history the famous sign in the catacombs...The Uplifted Index, The Unitary Digital, The Numero Uno
Chaplain? Yes. Total military service: Enlisted: 6 (4 active 2 reserve); Commissioned (18, 16 active 2 reserve)
Professional football players are soooo un-professional.
But then these are the examples for our high school athletes. In essence, these days if a high school player want to act like a "professional" athlete he has to act like an egotistical self promoting exhibitionist buffoon.
Frankly I'd like to see the film of this guy after the race. If he was humbly pointing to the sky, then it should obviously be a protected speech issue. If he was prancing around holding his finger in the air in the "We're Number One" pose, then the punishment probably fit the crime.
The headline and the story suggest that this was a humble act of acknowledgment of God. If it is a waffler, then you have to err on the side of protecting his rights. If it was flagrant, then that would be a different story.
Regardless, the rule is still most likely unconstitutionally vague. It leaves too much discretion up to the state appointed officials.
How many NFL end zone type celebrations at track meets did it take to trigger the imposition of that stupid rule?
Some day you are going to get busted with a weapon (when they've been outlawed)...but you should have known better 'cause "rules are rules."
“There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.” Ayn Rand
I agree with you that it’s better to err on the side of his religious rights.
My 8 years as a track coach says he crossed the finish line and did some distance toward a victory lap with his finger in the air.
Beyond all this, I think it’s a dumb rule, and except for high jumpers and pole vaulters, I don’t like our rules in Ohio about jewelry. But, we always told the kids the rules, spoke against the dumb ones when appropriate, and nonetheless expected them to be followed.
All that said, and Tebow notwithstanding, the raised index is vastly more common as a sign of #1 than of anything else.
Romney made it famous as “The Finger in the Wind” checking his beliefs.
You know, he could have been checking for the wind direction and speed in anticipation of his next race.
In sprints, the times are significantly affected by wind speed and direction. In the 200 meter for example, the position of the runner on the track can be significantly affected by the lane you are assigned if there is a cross wind.
With a cross wind blowing at the runners, the guy in the first lane has to run farther into the wind, however if there is a tail wind blowing across the track behind the runners, then the guy in the first lane has a significant advantage because he will be running further with the wind to his back.
Maybe he was just prepping for the next race?
Think that would fly?
I had an eerie feeling a few months back when Tad was making excuses for Dad that Romney was actually considering another shot at it. I don’t think it will happen now, but then I really felt we were seeing a trial balloon.
His “finger in the wind” told him to hang it up. (I hope)
The same with baton zones on relays. You want your faster runners to take it earlier in the zone and hand it off later in the zone. That’s what makes it more complicated than people think, and why tremendous athletes screw up handoffs in major events like the Olympics. There’s no room for error if you’re pushing the handoff zone like that.
if he put his hands together and bowed and sain “nama ste” (sic) it would have been ok?
Is saying “happy mother’s day” illegal in massachusetts if a child is a victim of a “two daddy” house?
No, it’s not that I don’t think a gesture of praise should be forbidden. At best, he chose a lousy gesture that is universally viewed as raising the “we’re #1 sign”.
Had it been a sign of the cross, then I’d be on this like white on rice.
Nonetheless, I’ve conceded to freeper P-Marlowe that religious rights take precedent.
My experience and my gut says he’s gaming the system. I acknowledge it’s a dumb system and a dumb rule within limits. Besides being a distraction, celebrations in track are generally also a difficulty because you really want your runners staying in their lanes immediately afterwards. Even with electronic timing, you want to make sure the equipment functioned and that you don’t need to revert to the manual backup.
RGIII is right.
a liberal is someone who stays up at night worrying that somewhere, someplace, sombody is happy.
(reagan said that or words to that effect)
In regards to the track team that lost it’s title; I was looking at this link http://www.uiltexas.org/files/athletics/manuals/sportsmanship-manual.pdf
On page 2 (Table of Contents) it clearly shows a picture of a girls basketball team taking the net off the hoop (obviously them won) and some of the girls showing that same gesture - holding a finger up. Why is it that the Columbus team is disqualified for the final runner doing exactly what is shown on a picture that is printed in this manual?
Ohio has the same rules about spandex and ribbons in hair. They are set by the Ohio High School Athletic Assocation not by the state department of education. OHSAA is a private organization which schools choose to join. It is not a state entity that even public schools are automatically a part or are required to join.
The ribbon and spandex rules are silly.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.