The U.S. Supreme Court docket might ship a ruling any day on a case involving a former Seattle-area soccer coach who was fired from his job as a result of he refused to cease praying on the sphere with gamers.
When the varsity district realized that Kennedy was praying with the group, they instructed him that he might pray individually from the scholars. Kennedy declined to vary his observe, was placed on paid depart, after which filed a lawsuit.
Final 12 months, decrease courts sided with the varsity district. The case went earlier than the Supreme Court docket in April and the choice is being carefully watched by many.
Throughout oral arguments two months in the past, the Supreme Court docket’s conservative justices appeared sympathetic to Kennedy.
The Washington Submit reported:
Questions from the court docket’s conservatives indicated they consider the varsity district has misinterpret the court docket’s precedents relating to authorities endorsement of faith and maybe was hostile to such demonstrations.
Justice Clarence Thomas questioned whether or not Kennedy would have been disciplined if he had taken a knee in the course of the nationwide anthem to protest racism. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. questioned Katskee, authorized director at Individuals United for Separation of Church and State, about different political activism.
Suppose “when Coach Kennedy went out to the center of the field … all he did was to wave a Ukrainian flag. Would you have fired him?” Alito requested.
Katskee stated the varsity district might self-discipline a coach for such actions as a result of it “doesn’t want its event taken over for political speech.”
“Where is the school district rule that says that?” Alito demanded.
“No teacher or coach should lose their job for simply expressing their faith while in public,” Kelly Shackelford, president, and CEO of First Liberty, who’s representing the case, stated in an announcement.
“By taking this important case, the Supreme Court can protect the right of every American to engage in private religious expression, including praying in public, without fear of punishment,” he added.
“Paul Clement, former U.S. Solicitor General, partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and First Liberty volunteer attorney, said, ‘We look forward to presenting the Coach’s case, which goes to the heart of the First Amendment, to the Justices,’” the Every day Wire reported. “Joe Kennedy’s case, now six years after the events, has led to renewed optimism by the coach who still desires to return to the football sidelines.”
“Six years away from the football field has been far too long. I am extremely grateful that the Supreme Court is going to hear my case and pray that I will soon be able to be back on the field coaching the game and players I love,” Kennedy stated within the assertion.
Individuals United for Separation of Church and State criticized the choice in an announcement.
“No child attending public school should have to pray to play school sports. No student should ever be made to feel excluded – whether it’s in the classroom or on the football field – because they don’t share the religious beliefs of their coaches, teachers or fellow students,” Individuals United President and CEO Rachel Laser stated.
“The Bremerton School District followed the law and protected students’ religious freedom when it stopped its football coach from holding coercive prayers with players on the 50-yard line after high school football games,” Laser added. “Public schoolchildren and their households – like all of us – have a constitutional proper to consider as they select and be handled equally by their public colleges, no matter their beliefs. The Bremerton College District fulfilled its authorized responsibility to respect their elementary rights.
BREAKING! SCOTUS introduced it can hear Coach Kennedy’s case. That is the ultimate play of a protracted authorized battle. He was fired for silently praying on the soccer subject. A victory might affect all authorities workers and likewise change the best way courts contemplate spiritual freedom. pic.twitter.com/kYgl5SZ7pS
— First Liberty Institute (@1stLiberty) January 14, 2022
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