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High school track team disqualified for making religious gesture
KRIV TV ^ | 5/2/2013 | Damali Keith

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.


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: moralabsolutes
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To: markomalley

It’s been my experience that the folks who govern these sorts of athletic boards are some of the most hidebound, humorless bleeps you’ll find.

As for the decision, I think it sucks...though I do generally see why the rule about hand gestures is in place. Low-class “in yo’ face!” crap is part and parcel of a lot of athletics these days, and not just at the pro level. It’s just a real shame a kid who pretty clearly wasn’t taunting anybody (and in fact, was being rather humble by thanking God) is a victim of a “one size fits all” regulation without any real immediate recourse but to take it on the chin.


21 posted on 05/03/2013 2:58:24 AM PDT by DemforBush (Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia!)
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To: P-Marlowe
Yeah, he would have loved the Nuremberg Laws. After all...

Rules are rules

22 posted on 05/03/2013 3:02:37 AM PDT by stormhill (Guns Save Lives!)
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To: DemforBush
Tough lesson...welcome to the world of progressive intolerance.....

It has only just begun...
23 posted on 05/03/2013 3:03:21 AM PDT by PigRigger (Donate to http://www.AdoptAPlatoon.org - The Troops have our front covered, let's guard their backs!)
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To: BigCinBigD
Rules are rules.

Zero tolerance. And any kid who points a French fry at another kid and says "bang" should be expelled and arrested. /s

24 posted on 05/03/2013 3:03:49 AM PDT by Fresh Wind (The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.)
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To: tomkat

Texas is becoming Red Hampshire...coasting on former reputation.


25 posted on 05/03/2013 3:05:50 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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To: markomalley

Tyranny.


26 posted on 05/03/2013 3:07:56 AM PDT by jimfree (In November 2016 my 12 y/o granddaughter will have more quality exec experience than Barack Obama)
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To: stormhill; xzins

FWIW smiling is a “celebratory gesture.” Did they disqualify every winner who smiled? Or just the ones who appeared to be recognizing the source of their God given abilities?


27 posted on 05/03/2013 3:08:40 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (There can be no Victory without a fight and no battle without wounds.)
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To: who knows what evil?
I would argue were it just this one instance, but sadly such seems not uncommon of late, at least in urban TX.         :-(
28 posted on 05/03/2013 3:09:52 AM PDT by tomkat
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To: P-Marlowe; markomalley
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.

Call me stupid, but I don't know what religion has the gesture of one finger raised to the sky.

If they finished first, then one finger looks like someone's saying "#1" to the world. That's what one finger raised to the sky after a victory means anywhere else I've ever seen it. I have never seen one finger raised to the sky mean "God".

So, my sense is that the family is being coy and trying to turn this into a religious discrimination case.

Call me crazy, and certainly biased. I ran track and coached it for about 8 years. It has a bunch of really dumb rules about bracelets, rings, spandex under shorts, and even their "celebration" rule can be called arcane.

However, it is a rule no matter how dumb, and the "one finger = God" thing has escaped me in my 33 years of ordained ministry.

As Granny says in Josie Wales: "Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining."

29 posted on 05/03/2013 3:13:44 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! True supporters of our troops pray for their victory!)
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To: BigCinBigD
>>>Rules are rules

Yep...and if we keep it up...all of us will violate one of these idiotic PC rules eventually...including you.

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."

30 posted on 05/03/2013 3:18:06 AM PDT by NELSON111
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To: P-Marlowe
The coach should have known the rules and made sure his team knew them. If they didn't know it's their own fault. If the child was just caught up in the moment, it's still a rule violation. Doesn’t matter if he was pointing at “God” or the Goodyear blimp.
31 posted on 05/03/2013 3:19:06 AM PDT by BigCinBigD (...Was that okay?)
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To: BigCinBigD
"Rules are rules."

The Bill of Rights and our Constitution RULES! I can hear the money coming. What a bunch of stupid whimps!!!

32 posted on 05/03/2013 3:30:00 AM PDT by wesagain (The God #Elohim# of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the One True GOD.)
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To: xzins

Here’s the problem, schools have become increasingly hostile to any and all forms of Christian expression. The gesture he gave is pretty consistent with the religious expressions of football players that point to the heavens either following a touchdown or at the end of a game or baseball pitchers who point upwards to the heavens after getting that final out. The gestures are not intended to taunt anyone but to recognize God. In that sense it is purely a religious observance.

Any rule which prohibits religious expression is subject to strict scrutiny and the rule must not be so overly broad that it impinges upon a persons right to practice their faith so long as it does not unreasonably interfere with anyone else’s rights.

In this case any rule which would prevent an athlete from making any gesture that could be interpreted as being a religious expression should be void on its face. The kid’s actual motives are irrelevant in that the rule itself is unconstitutionally overbroad.

Maybe his claim that this was a religious expression was an afterthought, but the government cannot make an inquiry as to whether or not he is truly religious. The only inquiry is whether this gesture can be interpreted as a religious gesture. If it can, then the rule cannot prohibit it.


33 posted on 05/03/2013 3:32:31 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (There can be no Victory without a fight and no battle without wounds.)
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To: BigCinBigD

Did you get your law degree as a prize in a box of Cracker Jacks?


34 posted on 05/03/2013 3:34:25 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (There can be no Victory without a fight and no battle without wounds.)
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To: tomkat

“This happened in TEXAS ? ?”

That’s what I’m thinking. As a Texian, I’m totally embarrassed. When I first saw the news spot I thought “there goes some of those east coast/west coast idiots again.” But here in Texas? Don’t know who has over site of the UIL but this needs fix’en ASAP!


35 posted on 05/03/2013 3:34:59 AM PDT by snoringbear (E.oGovernment is the Pimp,)
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To: BigCinBigD

The assertion is that judgment was used to punish this religious act. The judge simply ruled that an act was disrespectful in his opinion and used his power to DQ.

IMO, such a drastic consequence requires clear evidence and explanation ... not simply a declaration “in the judge’s opinion, the athlete was disrespectful” with the only clarifying information being “the athlete raised his hand”...


36 posted on 05/03/2013 3:36:17 AM PDT by Principled
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To: P-Marlowe
In this case any rule which would prevent an athlete from making any gesture that could be interpreted as being a religious expression should be void on its face. The kid’s actual motives are irrelevant in that the rule itself is unconstitutionally overbroad.

That is a good explanation. Anything that can be interpreted as a religious expression should over-ride. However, in this case, the officials cannot be faulted. No one knows the "Finger = God" expression, whether that's what the kid meant or not. (And which I still think is not likely. I think the officials are right: One finger pointed to the sky after winning equals "#1" being broadcast to the crowd.) Therefore, the officials must enforce a relatively dumb rule, although an NFL endzone celebration makes me puke. That is far more, though, than one finger pointed to the sky.

I have heard that a hip-swaying, shouting, gaggle of celebrants is really a liturgical dance in honor of God.

LOL!

37 posted on 05/03/2013 3:39:17 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! True supporters of our troops pray for their victory!)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Maybe he was pointing at Uranus.

I bet that they would like.
******************************************************************
If this crap continues, I may be pointing at Mars...if you know what I mean.


38 posted on 05/03/2013 3:47:05 AM PDT by House Atreides
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To: markomalley

He might have an out if he says that he was pointing to the Flying Spaghetti Monster.


39 posted on 05/03/2013 3:47:43 AM PDT by Carpe Cerevisi
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To: snoringbear

That is in the 10th Congressional District McCaul (R). Now all we need is to get he information on the “judge” and the organization to make a public spectacle out of them. Who, knows, he could have been giving thanks to his grandparents who may have passed, it don’t know. More importantly, it doesn’t matter.


40 posted on 05/03/2013 3:47:53 AM PDT by mazda77
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