Iowa —
FFRF persuaded the Iowa High School Athletic Association to revise the criteria student-athletes need to win the state’s highest school honor.
A concerned Iowa parent reported that the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) was imposing a religious criterion on students in order to be eligible for the Bernie Saggau Award of Merit, an award described as the “highest student honor” that the association awards annually. According to the official description, the award is “presented annually to the graduating student who best exemplifies a patriotic spirit, with strong religious and moral convictions, living and professing the qualities of honesty, integrity and sportsmanship.” FFRF learned that high schools throughout Iowa were advertising the award using the “strong religious and moral convictions” language.
FFRF stepped in to make certain nonreligious students are also eligible for the award.
“Because the IHSAA is a state actor due to its operational agreement with the Iowa Department of Education, the IHSAA is obligated to respect students’ First Amendment rights,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to the district.
By conditioning eligibility for the award on “strong religious . . . convictions,” the association is clearly favoring religion over nonreligion. Thankfully, the organization took FFRF’s guidance on the issue.
Iowa High School Athletic Association Executive Director Tom Keating emailed FFRF, informing the state/church watchdog of a new, more inclusive approach regarding the award.
“The words, ‘religious and’ have been removed from the verbiage on the award certificate,” Keating wrote. “This year’s certificates will reflect that change.”
