Supreme Court to Hear Case of High School Football Coach Fired for Praying

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The Supreme Court on Monday is hearing oral arguments in the case of a Washington state high school football coach who was fired for praying at games. 

As reported by Just the News, Kennedy v. Bremerton School Board began back in 2016 when Bremerton High School football coach Joe Kennedy fought with the school in an effort to continue praying on the field following  games after being allowed to do so for seven years. 

Kennedy coached the football team from 2008 to 2015 and would kneel and pray at midfield after each game 

At first, Kennedy prayed alone but after several games students and players joined him. Eventually, he began giving motivational speeches to the players who gathered alongside him after games. 

After seven years of praying on the field after games, a school administrator from a visiting team complimented Bremerton High School’s principal on the coach’s practice. The school district subsequently investigated the situation, told Kennedy to stop, denied him a religious accommodation request, implemented a new policy to stop him from praying publicly on the field, then suspended and fired him for continuing to do so.

Kennedy filed a lawsuit with First Liberty Institute against the Bremerton School District in a federal district court in 2016, asking that he be allowed to continue coaching as the case made its way through the courts. The district court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court all denied Kennedy’s request.

However, the Supreme Court sent the case back down to the district court for further litigation. The district court and the Ninth Circuit both decided for the school district. The lawsuit was refiled with the Supreme Court in September 2021, and in January the High Court decided to hear the case.

“Six years away from the football field has been far too long,” Kennedy said. “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.”