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Praying football coach raises religious practice questions before Supreme Court


The Supreme Court has long upheld the separation of church and state. The establishment clause of the First Amendment reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”

A new case before the court has pitted a public school district against a former high school football coach. Joe Kennedy was fired after leading team and individual prayers on the field after games, and he claims the school district violated his religious freedoms.

Pew Research Center data indicated 32% of Americans believe “government policies should support religious values,” while 65% believe “religion should be kept out of government policies.”

A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH WAS FIRED BECAUSE HE REFUSED TO STOP PRAYING ON THE FIELD – AND NOW THE SUPREME COURT IS HEARING HIS CASE

COACH JOE KENNEDY CLAIMS THE SCHOOL VIOLATED HIS RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS 

BUT THE SCHOOL SAYS THEY CAN’T ENDORSE A RELIGIOUS POINT OF VIEW AS A GOVERNMENT ENTITY. 

FOR SOME, THE CASE SEEMS CUT AND DRIED. THAT’S BECAUSE THE SUPREME COURT HAS LONG UPHELD THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE BASED ON THE ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT. 

“CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION”

THIS HAS APPLIED TO EVERYTHING FROM RELIGIOUS DISPLAYS TO RELIGIOUS SPEECH ON PUBLIC PROPERTY

BUT NOW WITH A CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY ON THE HIGH COURT – SOME BELIEVE WE COULD SEE A SHIFT IN HOW RELIGION IS PRACTICED IN AMERICA

RIGHT NOW THE U.S. HAS NO OFFICIAL RELIGION AND ACCORDING TO PEW RESEARCH, THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SAY RELIGION SHOULD BE KEPT OUT OF GOVERNMENT POLICIES

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? WERE THE LOWER COURTS CORRECT? OR DOES THIS COACH HAVE A CASE TO PRAY ON THE 50? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW