God gesture disqualifies team from State Championship. People are
outraged after an act of faith cost a local track team a win and a
chance to advance to the state championships. The God gesture
disqualified the boys Columbus High School 4 X 100 relay team after they
won the regional meet and were on their way to the Texas state
championships. As WFAA explained on May. 2, the team was disqualified
after one of the runners, Derrick Hayes, pointed up to the sky.
"It's a sad deal. I think it's a travesty. Those kids work hard," says K.C. Hayes, the boy's father. "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" K.C. Hayes said. Nationalreview reports
The call to disqualify the team was made by a judge with the University Interscholastic League or UIL, which enforces the rules for high school athletics.
"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.
The UIL said that there is no rule that prohibits religious expression, and they stated that the disqualification was for "unsporting conduct."
"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 says.
"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. Many see the team's god gesture disqualification as a violation of religious freedom. Some have expressed their concerns to the state, however, they seem to be standing by the UIL's decision
"It's a sad deal. I think it's a travesty. Those kids work hard," says K.C. Hayes, the boy's father. "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" K.C. Hayes said. Nationalreview reports
The call to disqualify the team was made by a judge with the University Interscholastic League or UIL, which enforces the rules for high school athletics.
"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.
The UIL said that there is no rule that prohibits religious expression, and they stated that the disqualification was for "unsporting conduct."
"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 says.
"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. Many see the team's god gesture disqualification as a violation of religious freedom. Some have expressed their concerns to the state, however, they seem to be standing by the UIL's decision