Saying he has an “agreement with God,” a defiant high school football coach said he’ll continue leading team prayers on the 50-yard line after being ordered to stop.
Even if it means he is fired.
For nine years, Joseph Kennedy, head coach at Bremerton High School in Washington state, has been holding post-game prayers, but was told by the school district last month that he must stop because his actions violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
Kennedy, a self-described God-fearing former Marine, spoke to “Fox & Friends” co-host Steve Doocy on Thursday and said he will hold a prayer following his team’s home game this week.
“I kind of made an agreement with my personal faith and with God that this was something that I was going to do, and I was going to give Him the glory after every single game, and do it on the 50,” Kennedy said. “I’m kind of a guy of my word, and I’m just going to go through with what I’ve always done.”
Kennedy had previously agreed to stop pre-game prayers in the team locker room because it created a “captive audience,” but said players have a choice on joining him on the 50-yard line after games.
13-year-old outspoken conservative outraged
at teacher who said he wouldn’t save him in a fire
The coach told the Seattle Times he is “helping these kids be better people,” although he admits that he is not a lawyer.
“I don’t know the Constitution,” Kennedy told the newspaper. “However, I spent my years defending it.”
As for running the risk of being fired, Kennedy told Doocy he will leave it in God’s hands.
“I really don’t believe I’ll be fired for what I’m going to do,” he said. “You know, I have a higher power that I answer to.”
Kennedy is being represented by Liberty Institute attorney Hiram Sasser, who insists his client is within his rights.
“The coach has a right as a citizen to be able to go out there and personally pray, and he doesn’t have a duty to flee the scene if other kids happen to come along,” Sasser said.
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
Tom@bizpacreview.com
The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
- Did Sunny Hostin just admit on air to breaking the law by voting for her son? - November 8, 2022
- Stacey Abrams justifies trailing in the polls by suggesting black men are too stupid to back her - November 7, 2022
- Kevin McCarthy has message for Pelosi telling Dems to ‘change the subject’ away from inflation - October 24, 2022
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
