Texas Cheerleaders Told They Can Make Their Jesus Signs For Now

Christian cheerleaders in Texas are celebrating a minor victory in court after a judge decided the girls can continue to make religious signs for football games until a permanent decision can be reached. The players at Kountze High School have reportedly been praying before games for years; so, in order to offer further inspiration, the cheerleaders decided to outfit the banners the guys run through before the games with verses and quotes from the Bible.

According to Fox News, the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent the school district a letter saying the Bible shouldn’t be referenced at official school functions, and the school board quickly agreed. Students were immediately asked to stop referencing religion in their signs, but after some parents found out, the Liberty Institute was asked to mount a legal defense.

This week’s ruling didn’t say the girls will be able to make the signs forever. It simply said the girls can make the signs until an October 4 hearing when formal arguments can be presented from both sides. According to The Houston Chronicle, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has publically announced he thinks the kids should be allowed to make their signs, but it’s unclear whether he’ll actually get his hands dirty and join the fight.

If nothing else, this story illustrates that different places fight different cultural wars during different periods of time. Most younger people who grew up near the coasts were raised in towns where religion had long since been separated entirely from the school district. Given how most of these wars have ended, it’s unlikely the girls will be allowed to wear their uniforms and advocate for Jesus at the same time, but until there’s an official ruling, you never know.