Kennedy told reporters that his prayers, which are about 30 seconds long, focus on thanking God for a good game and for the opportunity to be involved in his student’s lives, and praying for God’s blessing on their future. Courts have previously found, the district noted, that a public employer’s interest in not violating the Establishment Clause trumps “the resulting limitations on [an employee’s] free exercise of his religion at work”.
Advertisement
Kennedy is “devastated” over the ordeal.
If you want to support Coach Kennedy, the American Family Association is collecting signatures on a petition to support his right to pray. The district claims it’s bound by “lawful and constitutionally-required directives” about public religious displays. “Then a couple said they were Christians and asked if they could join”.
The district said Kennedy is still employed and will be paid through the remainder of his contract term unless his status changes.
The Prayer Caucus referenced Supreme Court precedents that allow for “the voluntary observance of a brief prayer at the beginning of a legislative session – a tradition that is also embraced by both the United States Senate and House of Representatives”. Over time, members of the team, along with other members of the coaching staff and fans, have joined him. “His religious expression is not something he should hide or be ashamed of”.
He does not pray to a specific religion or deity. They emphasized that while they don’t think he’s “coercing” students to pray with him, he’s still doing it on school time and property. In just a few weeks, this Western Washington fight for “religious freedom” has attracted attention nationwide. The school, though, still demanded he stop. The District has also encouraged Kennedy to offer his own suggestions for ways in which his desire to engage in private prayer can be accommodated without subjecting the District to liability for violating the Establishment Clause.
According to documents posted by the Texas-based Liberty Institute, Kennedy requested “religious accommodation” from the district to allow him to continue praying on the field.
Kennedy agreed to halt the locker-room prayers, as he concurred that it involved a “captive audience” and was, thus, illegal, but he has continued to push back against the ban on prayer on the field following games.
At last Friday night’s game, Kennedy kneeled at the 50-yard line to pray.
“I’m going to do what I’ve always done and I will do my prayer”, KIRO-TV reported Kennedy stated.
Since 2008 he has lead his team in prayer in the locker room, right before kickoff and after the game at the 50 yard line. They offered that given the inaction by Bremerton High School in stopping Kennedy from engaging in Christian prayer, the school opened up the venue to other forms of religious expression.
That was enough for the school district. “Any further violations will be grounds for discipline”, an October 23 letter from Superintendent Leavell reads.
“All we’re asking for at this point is his ability to pray by himself, silently, and they’re still fighting against that”, Hiram Sasser, deputy chief counsel of Liberty Institute, tells KOMO TV.
Advertisement
In a letter sent to the school district this week, 47 members of Congress showed their support for the “admirable and respectable” actions of Kennedy, “as they represent his commitment to the welfare of the young men on his team”.
