Governor Kay Ivey held a meeting with Oakwood Basketball Team in the Governor’s Office Tuesday March 8, 2022 in Montgomery, Ala. (Governor’s Office/Hal Yeager)
MONTGOMERY-Earlier this year, Governor Ivey hosted the Oakwood Adventist Academy boys basketball team in her office following their forced forfeit in the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) semifinals. The governor also wrote a letter to AHSAA Executive Director Alvin Briggs to get the facts on the situation where the boys could not observe their sabbath, unless they forfeited their basketball game. In their meeting, team members told the governor they hoped that their experience would force a change so that this would never happen again.
Governor Ivey was pleased to learn the team’s goal has now been achieved. The AHSAA adopted a new rule today to accommodate religious requests. After their vote, Governor Ivey issued the following statement:
“Wednesday’s vote by the Alabama High School Athletic Association is absolutely a win for religious liberty, and no doubt, is a testament to the Oakwood boys and their convictions. I hope that Alabamians – young and old – can look to these boys as an example. They stood strong in their faith and showed that good can come from a difficult situation. Here in Alabama, we will always stand up for religious freedom, and this rule change is certainly doing just that.” – Governor Kay Ivey
Media Release/Office of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey
