Cheering For The Lord

Cheerleaders at a public high school near Chattanooga, Tennessee are under fire for refusing to stop using giant scripture-loaded signs for the football players to crash through upon entering the field. Christianists, ignoring the Constitution, are screaming "oppression!" after the school district said the signs cannot be used.

Fort Oglethorpe Mayor Ronnie Cobb vehemently disagrees with the ban and said he’ll call on the City Council to support the cheerleaders and their signs. The signs don’t infringe on anyone’s religious rights and are good for school spirit, he said. “I’m totally against them doing away with it,” Mr. Cobb said, adding that the cheerleaders’ rights are being abused. The mayor said football coach John Allen made the signs a tradition around 2003 and it has continued ever since. “If it’s offensive to anyone, let them go watch another football game,” he said. “Nobody’s forced to come there and nobody’s forced to read the signs.” Current head football coach Todd Windham said the school system must obey the law, despite everyone’s opinions. “Just my standpoint, I thought the banners were unique,” Mr. Windham said. “I really feel for the girls who prepare the banners and I think they really do a good job. They prepare a whole season’s worth during the summer and they put in a lot of work on those.”

Local ministers say the cheerleaders "are not part of the state" and therefore the separation issue does not apply.