Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
AUBURN, Neb. (AP) — Auburn High School in southeast Nebraska has a tradition of honoring its student-athletes by hanging posters of them in the school's gymnasium. But this year, the school has refused to hang the poster made by one athlete, because his sport of choice — rodeo competition — isn't school-sponsored.
Zach Oestmann and his parents are now asking the school board to change policy, saying it discriminates against some students, the Lincoln Journal Star reported (http://bit.ly/1Soc9vJ ).
The family is going to bat for other students not being honored for their accomplishments, whether it's in rodeo, swimming, swing choir, Future Farmers of America, gymnastics, dance or the National Honor Society.
Parents and sports booster clubs pay for the posters that the school displays.
Oestmann's mother said she heard about the posters when a fellow parent called her in mid-January to encourage her to make one for her son. The poster she had made for $35 shows her son leaping from a horse to rope a calf. She said she was stunned when she took it to the school last week and was told it couldn't be hung.
On Monday, the six-member board said it needed more information before it could act. Auburn Superintendent Kevin Reiman said district officials fear that accepting Oestmann's poster would mean the district would have to accept all posters submitted by students — even if they're offensive or inappropriate.
The school board meets next on March 14.
___
Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
