Religious Headwear ...

[BillyMac]

I'm not sure why I'm posting this other than I found this very interesting.

Last night Theresia Wynns, NFHS Director of Sports and Officials Education, made a short presentation at our IAABO International Virtual Fall Seminar.

Although she didn't specifically refer to this news item ...

https://news.yahoo.com/muslim-teenag...111001873.html

... I'm pretty sure that she had this situation in mind when she spoke.

She was "careful" with her words, and didn't indicate that there will be any change in the current NFHS religious headwear rule, but she did "suggest" that officials may want to let players with such religious headwear participate in that game at that site at that time (assuming not abrasive, hard, or dangerous, attached so highly unlikely to come off), and "then" proceed with "followups", advising the coach and athletic director to followup with the state association, and then the official following up with their local board, which would then followup with the state association.

Sounds good to me, I'm all for the First Amendment, religious freedom, religious expression, and not making fourteen year old high school girls (of any religion, of any age, of any gender) cry, but would like to see her suggestion codified into NFHS rules and/or into state association guidelines. Under the advice of her oral suggestion, I don't need religious headwear, under some extreme circumstance, being pulled off, falling on the floor, a player slipping on it, said player breaking her neck, becoming a quadriplegic, and I lose my house and savings in a negligence civil lawsuit.

Plaintiff's attorney: "It doesn't matter that the official checked said religious headwear and believed that said religious headwear was attached in such a way such that it was highly unlikely to come off during play. Said player should not have been allowed to play with religious headwear, there was no prior documented evidence provided to the state association that said player may not, for religious reasons, expose her uncovered head, and no prior approval of said religious headwear by the state association. The official's negligent decision to allow said player to participate while wearing religious headwear without prior documentation and prior approval was clearly against NFHS rules, rules under which this interscholastic basketball contest was played, and said official's ignorance of NFHS basketball rules, and negligent decision to allow said player to participate with religious headwear led directly to my client's horrific injury (points to high school girl in wheelchair). Your honor, and esteemed members of the jury, I submit Exhibit A from the NFHS Basketball Rulebook."

3-5-4-E-B: Head decorations and headwear, except those specified above, are prohibited. Exception: State associations may on an individual basis permit a player to participate while wearing a head covering if it meets the following criteria: For religious reasons – In the event there is documented evidence provided to the state association that a participant may not expose his/her uncovered head, the state association may approve a covering or wrap which is not abrasive, hard or dangerous to any other player and which is attached in such a way it is highly unlikely it will come off during play.

"Your honor, and esteemed members of the jury, as the plaintiff's attorney, I rest my case."

I'm especially interested in LRZ's take on this matter. He's seems to be what'cha call an expert in legal matters.