Listen Live: Supreme Court hears case of ex-high school football coach who lost his job after praying on the field

Washington – The Supreme Court is summoned on Monday morning to hear the arguments of a case filed for former high school football coach of Washington State who lost his job after praying at the 50-yard line after games.

The legal dispute between Joseph Kennedy and the Bremerton School District over Kennedy’s practice of praying after the final whistle began in August 2016, when the former coach sued the district, arguing that it violated its constitutional rights in the freedom of expression and free exercise when punished for violating its guidelines prohibiting “demonstrative religious activity” that is “easily observable” by students or members of the public.

Kennedy lost in two previous rounds to the lower courts, and judges in 2019 dismissed his appeal of a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in favor of the district. But after asking the Supreme Court for a second time in September to take over his case, the judges agreed to do so.

Assistant coach of the Bremerton High School college football team, Kennedy decided that he would pray at the end of the games after watching the sports movie “Facing the Giants” in 2008. Although he said the practice began with he alone, briefly thanking God for keeping the players safe, for fair play, and for lively competition, was finally joined by members of the Knights football team who asked him if they could kneel in his side.

Kennedy’s prayers turned into motivational speeches with religious references, and his practice continued smoothly until September 2015, when the coach of an opposing team told the principal of Bremerton High School that Kennedy asked his players to join him for the post-match prayer and “thought it was nice. Great” the district would allow this activity.

The observation served as a catalyst for the battle of a few years between Kennedy and the school district, whose place shifted from the grid to the courts when the coach lost his job after challenging the finishing guidelines. with his practice of praying in the field.

Kennedy argues that he was participating in a constitutionally protected religious discourse. But district attorneys say he acted as a state agent who, as a public school employee, violated the religious freedom of students who felt pressured to join him in prayer.

The dispute has attracted a large number of court friends ranging from current and former National Football League players, former athletes and collegiate coaches and members of Congress.

In a brief filed in support of Kennedy on behalf of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles and former NFL quarterback Drew Stanton, among others, current and former players invoked Colin Kaepernick, though not at first by his name, kneeling during a national anthem to protest racial injustice.

“This practice, like Kennedy’s prayers, is controversial: brave for some and offensive for others,” they argued. “But if Joe Kennedy had knelt down to protest racial injustice, the district would almost certainly not have argued that his speech was somehow from the state. Rather, there would have been no doubt that it was a protected private speech. “

But a group of former professional footballers and collegiate athletes in support of the school district warned that the relationship between a coach and an athlete in high school athletics is unique in that it is “very likely to be coercive.” should be considered by the Supreme. Court as the case weighs.

“The record here shows that Mr. Kennedy’s actions were prone and made players feel compelled to participate in Mr. Kennedy’s expressions of faith, even if they preferred not to.” former athletes, including former Minnesota. Vikings player Chris Kluwe and former NFL runner-up Obafemi Ayanbadejo.

A Supreme Court decision is expected in late June.

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