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A high school in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., has officially banned Tebowing, the post-game or post-score prayer posture inspired by NFL player Tim Tebow.

The ban comes in response to a formal complaint, alleging violation of separation of church and state, by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

Tebowing took the NFL by storm in 2011. Then Tim’s career sort of imploded, but controversy over the religious star and his on-field ritual rages on.

At Lahser H.S., the football team led traditional post-game prayers at midfield, allowing members of its team and visitors to take part in the tradition.

That’s not uncommon at all levels of competition, but the Tebowing took it too far, according to the ACLU, which said it exceeds its proposed guidelines.

 

The school says it will no longer permit postgame prayer sessions, which began more than a decade ago, and were never intended to make anyone unhappy.

“It kind of just carried on,” Coach Dan Loria said. “It was something somebody wanted to do every year. I got caught up because of how it originated and lost sight of it.”

In contrast with the complaint made to the ACLU, which claimed that Loria had been leading the prayer sessions, the coach said he was merely present.

Nonetheless, Loria acknowledged responsibility for the transgressions because of his knowing presence, and made it clear that the practice would be stopped:

“When it comes to discipline, whatever you allow, you encourage. By being present, I was encouraging it. This happened because of me and I had to wake up.”

What do you think: Should Tebowing be banned?