June 28, 2022

School Prayer

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled in favor of a high school football coach who lost his job because of his post-game prayers at the 50-yard line. By a vote of 6-3, the justices ruled that Joseph Kennedy’s conduct was protected by the First Amendment…

“Kennedy had been a part-time coach at Bremerton High School, a public school in Washington state, for seven years. During that time, he prayed at midfield after each game – first alone, but later with players and even some members of the opposing team joining him. When the school district learned about Kennedy’s prayers in September 2015, it expressed disapproval, and Kennedy briefly stopped his prayers…

“On Oct. 14, 2015, Kennedy notified the school district that he intended to resume his prayers at the next game. After a scene that the school district describes as chaotic, with spectators and reporters knocking down members of the band in an effort to join Kennedy at midfield, the school district told him that his prayers violated the district’s policy, and it offered him other options to pray – for example, after the crowd had left. But Kennedy continued to pray at the next two games, prompting the district to place him on administrative leave and, eventually, decline to renew his contract for the following season.” SCOTUSblog

Here’s our prior coverage of the case. The Flip Side

See past issues

From the Right

The right supports the decision, arguing that it protects religious liberty.

From the Left

The left opposes the decision, arguing that it will open the door to religious coercion in public schools.

The left opposes the decision, arguing that it will open the door to religious coercion in public schools.

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