6/27/22 - SCOTUS Sides With Football Coach Praying on the Sidelines

In another ruling, the US Supreme Court says a former football coach had the right to pray on the sidelines, and that students could join him if they choose to do so.

The US Supreme Court sided with a former high school football coach who prayed on the sidelines after games. 

In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled Joseph Kennedy had the right to pray at the 50-yard line and if students wanted to join him, they could voluntarily.  Kennedy was a former coach for Bremerton High School in Washington state.  In 2008, Kennedy would stand at the 50 and pray by himself.  A short time later, some students joined him and then others began to gather on the sideline to also participate voluntarily.  A short time later, Kennedy would deliver an inspirational speech in the locker room and continued to pray after the games.

The district first asked Kennedy to halt the practice in 2015 out of concern the district faced legal action from students who chose not to participate.  Kennedy did comply but also began to kneel on the sideline following games. 

Arguments over the limits of school districts restrictions of religious freedoms while on school property and during times a person was employed by the district were at the center of the legal arguments. 

Three Justices were concerned the act would have a coercive effect, putting pressure on students to participate in order to not have their playing time affected.  There was no evidence in this case that students playing times were affected by whether they participated in the religious activities.

The majority decision, penned in part by Justice Steve Gorsuch noted: "The Constitution and the best of our traditions counsel mutual respect and tolerance, not censorship and suppression, for religious and nonreligious views alike,"