Prince George County finalizes youth sports uniform policy after Bible verse controversy

PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. (WWBT) – The Prince George County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday night to finalize a youth sports uniform policy that sparked controversy after a soccer team was initially told they could not play in jerseys with Bible verses.

The initial decision was short-lived after Coach Andrew Collins and parents complained, claiming there wasn’t anything written in the county’s policy that prohibits them from putting scripture on jerseys. A week later, the county let the kids play while drafting a new policy.

Tuesday’s vote prohibits alterations of sports uniforms given by Parks and Recreation, but it took the county two drafts to reach this point.

The initial draft was presented at a board meeting Oct. 14. The board voted to prohibit uniform alterations but also limited messaging on personal clothing at practice.

Collins and parents on the team pushed back against the initial restriction, citing the First Amendment. Nearly 200 parents signed a petition against censoring what kids wear to practice.

“But to take away the right of a young person from putting it on a wristband, headband, socks, shoes, all of those things. I think we are stepping way too far,” one parent said during public comment Tuesday.

During the meeting, Cullen Seltzer, an attorney with Sands Anderson, said the policy aims to clarify government speech versus individual expression.

“I won’t tell you the policy assignment you have taken up for yourselves is an easy one it is not,” Seltzer said.

He told the board it has a right to create a policy that limits messaging on anything it issues.

“On the one hand, you want to guard against government coercion of speech; on the other, you want to guard against limiting people’s rights to speech of their own,” Seltzer said.

The county ultimately voted to strike the paragraph that would have censored what kids wear to practice, which Collins said is the right move.

“And how are they going to decide that Nike just do it is okay, but John 14:6 is not,” Collins said.

The policy also allows parents to put the child’s last name on the back of the jersey, along with a first initial if two children have the same last name.

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