VICTORY: Cheerleader No Longer Banned from Displaying Cross on School Banner

Recently, we took direct action and secured a significant victory for a girl whose school refused to allow her to display a cross on a student banner.

For decades, the ACLJ has defended public school students when outside groups and administrators misinterpret the Constitution to restrict students’ fundamental freedoms.

A student’s mother recently contacted us when her daughter’s school refused to display a student-sponsored banner with a cross symbol on it.

During sporting events at a high school in Torrance, CA, the cheerleading team posts banners displaying the logos of local businesses that sponsor the team. One of the logos from a local doctor's office contained a cross.

The school removed the banner, saying that some people were offended by it. We advised the student’s mother to meet with the principal and request the school policy on such banners. We also advised her to request that the principal obtain a legal opinion from the school district's attorneys, and inform them that the ACLJ has provided information that the banner should be allowed.  We explained that the logo is not the school's speech, and that the removal of the banner because of the religious symbol would be discriminatory if other student groups are allowed to display similar banners with secular symbols.

The principal requested a formal legal opinion from the district’s superintendent and attorneys. On February 5, 2016, the student’s mother informed us that, after checking with the superintendent and the school district's attorneys, the principal is allowing the banner to be displayed.

There are dozens of cases like this one every year and the ACLJ is proud to continue standing up for the U.S. Constitution and students’ freedom of speech, association, and religion.

These are the freedoms our Founding Fathers fought for, and we will continue to fight to ensure the constitutional rights of students are protected from coast to coast.