Faith

League Reverses Course & Changes Basketball Game to Accommodate Jewish Students

TAPPS Changes Game to Allow Robert M. Beren Academy to PlayHigh school basketball players at The Robert M. Beren Academy, a Jewish school in Houston, Texas, were going to be forced to forfeit their chances at winning the state championship.

As The Blaze reported yesterday, the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS), the league overseeing the team, was refusing to adjust a game that was scheduled on the Sabbath. However, following intense media coverage and a potential legal battle, the league has reversed course.

JTA has more regarding what led to TAPPS’s change of heart:

The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, known as TAPPS, decided Thursday to reschedule a state boys’ basketball tournament semifinal so that the Beren Academy of Houston can compete without violating the Jewish Sabbath. The game, which had been scheduled for 9 p.m. Friday, instead will be played in the afternoon.

The decision came just hours after the announcement that the team captain, along with teammates and parents, had enlisted the support of a prominent Washington attorney and filed a lawsuit against TAPPS and the Mansfield Independent School District, whose facilities are hosting the semifinals and finals of the 2A tournament.

In a press release published on the school’s web site, school officials praised the league’s decision:

We are thankful to TAPPS for ultimately making the right decision. The school administration and board was not involved in any legal action, and we regret that it took a lawsuit filed by parents to bring about this decision.

We greatly appreciate the strong outpouring of support from so many…We are very proud of our basketball team, the Beren Stars. Not only have the boys demonstrated considerable skill on the court this season, but they have also handled the stress of the past week with extraordinary maturity and composure. We also thank Coach Cole, the RMBA Athletic Director, for his outstanding leadership.

TAPPS director Edd Burleson previously said that amending the rules was an impossibility. “If you make exceptions, we no longer have rules,” he said, going on to claim that one or two Jewish schools in the league shouldn’t dictate what 120 schools do.

In the end, it seems Burleson and league officials decided that making the concession was the right — or the least problematic — path forward.

Comments (36)

  • dmerwin
    Posted on March 3, 2012 at 1:31pm

    Good call. Now come up with a policy that you can adhere to.

    Report Post » dmerwin  
  • Concerned Green Beret
    Posted on March 2, 2012 at 4:58am

    Why was this such a hard decision for these jackass administrators?

    Report Post »  
  • COFemale
    Posted on March 2, 2012 at 1:05am

    So to all the secularist’s out there, we should cow-tow to your whims and wishes, but when it comes to religious beliefs, we just need to ignore them because they don’t fit into your distorted world? Sorry, it does not work this way. If companies have to make reasonable religious accommodations to the employees, so should a sports agency sponsoring a tournament. it is called tolerance, you know that word you like to throw around at Conservatives when talking about gays or Muslims. Commonly known as, “practice what you preach”.

    Report Post » COFemale  
  • bruce_baker
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 10:59pm

    I thought it was always the American way to be tolerant, especially when it is no extra effort of significance. I would be happy to be more accomodating to Muslims if their religion was not at least 50% about how the government must follow Islam and use Sharia law. Why don’t the Mormons support them? Wouldn’t they welcome polygamy?

    America was created by Christians to be a place where Christians could live a Christian life without undue government interference. Any benefit to others, while not unimportant, is incidental. That being said, we’re very tolerant. You’re even free to disbelieve, if you want to be that stupid. The most important safeguard of that religious clause in the First Amendment is the prohibition of the establishment of a national church. Otherwise, the liberals would establish “the Church of American Reason” along secular humanist lines, compel everyone to join, and settle things, once and for all. The founders and promoters of the Bill of Rights never dreamed that it would be used to promote atheism.

    The people don‘t read the Bible and the government doesn’t follow the Constitution. Strange coincidence?

    Report Post » bruce_baker  
  • libertylover55
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 8:03pm

    Not so many years ago the NCAA basketball tournaments were scheduled on Sundays. When BYU was included in the tournament, rather than make a fuss, they just declined the invitation to the tournament. Finally Sunday play was changed so now BYU has their opportunity to participate.

    Report Post »  
  • stxgal
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 6:32pm

    As a parent with a student in TAPPS, I can say that the truth (as usual) was not reported—this time shame on you, Blaze! This school is new to TAPPS, agreed to the rules ahead of time and the SCHEDULES set out at the beginning of the academic year. The fact that they are now in the finals and they did not appeal the calendar until after the finals schedule was locked in is NOT the responsibility of TAPPS, and Beren Academy should be apologizing to their students for putting them in this situation.

    Report Post » stxgal  
    • bruce_baker
      Posted on March 1, 2012 at 11:03pm

      Don’t you just love happy endings? Stupid people made mistakes, but reason and tolerance triumphed in the end!

      Report Post » bruce_baker  
    • waspanglosaxon
      Posted on March 2, 2012 at 2:47am

      Thank you, Stxgal, for setting the record straight.

      Report Post » waspanglosaxon  
  • The_Jerk
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:23pm

    “TAPPS director Edd Burleson previously said that amending the rules was an impossibility. “If you make exceptions, we no longer have rules,” he said, going on to claim that one or two Jewish schools in the league shouldn’t dictate what 120 schools do.”

    In this country it doesn’t matter. If you’re Jewish, you will get your way, or be called an anti-Semite for not kowtowing to their demands. One more example of a minority ruling the majority.

    Report Post »  
    • bruce_baker
      Posted on March 1, 2012 at 11:12pm

      That’s BS. We have a history of being tolerant in this country. Google “Judeo-Christian heritage” if you don’t believe me. We do have a history of mistreating certain groups at certain times, the Negroes, American Indians and the American Japanese being prime examples, but that was always the result of the people’s faulty cultural perception of the group in question, and was rectified as the people became better educated about such cultural issues, and as the group became more assimilated into American society. We do have our limits. We wouldn’t admit Utah as a State until the Mormons dropped polygamy.

      Report Post » bruce_baker  
  • ScarletRose
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:11pm

    AMAZING what a little Bright Sunshine can do to the Self-Importance of RED TAPE Idiocy.

    Report Post » ScarletRose  
  • thegreatcarnac
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 4:59pm

    What is next…..team ‘A” has a muslim player that cannot play on his ‘sabbath’ which is Friday…so they turn the schedule upside down again????If my kid was on one of these teams I would be screaming about having games on Sunday because it is the Christian Sabbath. Oh hell…let’s all just play from morning until midnight on Monday.

    Report Post »  
  • watashbuddyfriend
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 4:54pm

    BAD, bad move Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools!

    Get hold of some good old BIBLE DOCTRINE! And, the best place to start is right there under your nose, in Houston, Texas!

    Report Post »  
  • moreteaplease
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 4:20pm

    txwheels
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:17pm

    Just like the government does, the league bowed to the jews..
    *********************************************************************
    So do I…but only one.

    Report Post » moreteaplease  
  • Infidel49
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 4:18pm

    Why not? If it was a muslim team they would have been falling all over themselves to accommodate them. Why is this news damnit?

    Report Post » Infidel49  
  • Marximus65
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:52pm

    Ultimately the right decision was made here, and it’s a good thing. As a private organization, TAPPS had no obligation to move this, but to their credit, they did. In so doing, they have shown to be an organization with enough integrity to acknowledge that they had made a mistake. Championships are about answering who is the best TEAM, and the young men at the Beren Academy earned the right to play in the state semi-final. (Let’s not forget, they trounced their last opponent.) What they do with this opportunity is up to them. Kudos to TAPPS, and good luck to Beren Academy as well as their opponent.

    Report Post »  
  • Razorhunters
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:50pm

    barry is a fraud , fake bc’s, stolen ss# etc etc…sheriff joe knows …now you do.

    http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/1/sheriff-arpaio-obama-birth-certificate-forgery/
    Sheriff Arpaio: Obama birth certificate a ‘forgery’

    Report Post » Razorhunters  
  • Cavallo
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:49pm

    Bravo! It is pleasant to see a win for the good guys for once. Sneaky of the league though, to attempt to schedule games on the Jewish Sabbath so they wouldn’t have to play against Jews.

    Report Post » Cavallo  
  • John1863
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:41pm

    This is 100% the leagues fault, when you bring in an array of religions you better have the foresite to see that there could be scheduling conflicts based of days of faith. If the league didn‘t think ahead then the league needed to correct their mistake and I’m glad they did. Oh an Texwheels, you are a racist pig.

    Report Post »  
  • gemologist
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:28pm

    Um… I don’t see this the same way.

    What are children learning when this type of thing happens?

    Don’t like it this way, lets get the media involved and it will change.

    I used to have a strong belief that I should not work on sunday, it kept me out of a job in my youth and did almost irreparable damage to my life-time income. I don’t think I should have lobbied to make them take me on as an employee even though I would have benefited and so would others have if I was successful.

    Its about freedom. You can’t always do what you want, nor should you force other businesses or schools to go along with you and conform to your religious needs. In freedom, you make your own way and so can they. Yes, it’s true that now these players can compete to win an honor.

    I would say that by not showing up to the game is worth more in the long run. Of course if TAPPS were to make the decision based on their own feelings of ethics then I applaud them. If they were simply caving to media pressure then I think it is a hollow victory.

    Report Post »  
    • tzion
      Posted on March 1, 2012 at 4:32pm

      Here’s the thing though, the other school was in favor of changing the game time. Only the league itself was against it. If the other school had been against it it would be a different story.

      Report Post »  
    • seanemslie
      Posted on March 1, 2012 at 4:39pm

      Though your decision to not work on Sunday may have been your choice or even religious conviction. For observant Jews, not working or playing sports on Shabbat/The Sabbath is a matter of obeying a Divine commandment given by God at Mount Sinai.

      There is no command to observe Sunday or restrain from work in the New Testament, but there is a clear command for Jews to observe and restrain from work from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown.

      Yes, they would have and should have forfeited the game if the schedule was not changed. But given that it was something that could be changed without causing calamity it was good that it was done. Besides the board moved a game before for Seventh Day Adventist students, so their change in policy could be seen as avoiding a double standard or worse prejudice against Jewish students.

      Report Post » seanemslie  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:27pm

    .
    I keep trying to tell Ya’ll Texas Sucks……

    If it has Texas Association of Anything to do with a Child. Pick-Up said Child and Run for Your & said Child’s Life…………

    Funny how they Drug Test all the Kids, but won’t Drug Test Administrators or the Teachers. And the Moron Parents that sign their Kids Right’s away without question……………..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • SpankDaMonkey
      Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:33pm

      .
      I wonder if Glenn will let The State of Texas put their hands in his childs pants?…..

      Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • txwheels
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:17pm

    Just like the government does, the league bowed to the jews..

    Report Post »  
    • jvlag3
      Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:24pm

      @TXWheels….you sir (I use the term loosely) are a bigot and idiot…

      Report Post »  
    • txwheels
      Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:29pm

      @JVLAG3
      Bigotry has nothing to do with it. Most won‘t say what they feel out of fear of being ’politically incorrect’, but I’d hazard to guess half or more of the Americans of this country are tired of our government and various entities caving to the wishes of Muslims and Jews, while everything else goes to hell in a hand basket. So get over yourself bub!

      Report Post »  
    • marine249
      Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:54pm

      @txwheels

      you sir are not a Bigot

      you are a A$$

      Report Post »  
    • marine249
      Posted on March 1, 2012 at 4:02pm

      but than you are a dem oo rat

      Report Post »  
    • Canadianlawyer
      Posted on March 1, 2012 at 4:40pm

      I think you should get a job on the Board of TAPPS. Then you can practice your bigoted, xenophobic ignorance legitimately.

      Report Post »  
  • Razorhunters
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:15pm

    barry is a fake,fraud…usurper.

    way to go sheriff joe.

    Report Post » Razorhunters  
  • waspanglosaxon
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:12pm

    We can’t have a manger scene at Christmas time in front of the White House because it might offend these leeches, but a state sports program changes its rules to accommodate their schedules. And the neo-cons cheer. As one might say when discussing Nert or Rick Perry, with ‘conservatives’ like this, who needs radical-liberals?

    Report Post » waspanglosaxon  
  • DIVINEPROVIDENCE1776
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:10pm

    Win for the good guys!

    Report Post » DIVINEPROVIDENCE1776  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:05pm

    Good to see things work for the better.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • The Jewish Avenger
    Posted on March 1, 2012 at 3:03pm

    yeah! they DO have a brain!

    well done but this should not have even gone this far.

    Report Post » The Jewish Avenger  

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