Bible Verse Banner Banned From Football Games

FORT OGLETHORPE, GA - A Christian sign is banned from the football field and now hundreds rally to voice their disapproval.

For years Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe cheerleaders have held a sign with a bible verse up before football games. But now that has changed and fans, families, and people of faith are not happy.

"It's kind of angered all of us but it's also upset us just because we work really hard, and we're trying to encourage the football team, and the community and that's just been taking away from us," Taylor Guinn, a L.F.O. cheerleader, says.

But Catoosa County School Superintendent Denia Reese says the religious message is not the problem, it's the location of the banners.

"I think it's a wonderful, wonderful thing for them to do. The problem with federal law is the fact that the location inside the football field creates the impression that the school system is endorsing that particular religious message," Reese says.

The Superintendent says she received a verbal complaint from a parent who said the Catoosa County School System was violating federal law. Reese says they then researched the law and determined it is a violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution for signs with Bible verses to be displayed on the football field.

But Brad Scott, a local youth Pastor, disagrees.

"Our next step is for this to spread for students to realize that they have a voice and that they have to stand up for their Christian rights. We want students wearing shirts with Bible scriptures on them at friday night's games and bring their signs," Scott says.

We saw a number of Christian signs and shirts at Tuesday night's rally at the Polo Grounds in Fort Oglethorpe. Hundreds of people showed up to voice their support for the cheerleaders and their disapproval of the Superintendent's decision.

Reese says the school system will let the banners hang somewhere else on campus and hopes the students will display as many as possible.

"Because it broke my heart to have to tell those girls that they could not display that message on the football field," Reese says.

"Putting it outside is just not good enough for us, we would rather put them up inside for our football team to run out on their own field with," Guinn says.

The banner's supporters say they have contacted local attorneys to look into case law and hope to have the biblical signs returned at some point this season.

Supporters have also set up a webpage www.LFOCheer.com

The next home football game for LFO is this Friday against rival Ridgeland.  Game time is 7:30 p.m. and WTVC will have a crew there.