SEATTLE (AP) — A football field in Washington state has become more than a battleground for athletes as the suspension of an assistant coach for praying at midfield after games divided people around the country over the religious rights of school employees.
District officials put Joe Kennedy, Bremerton High School's assistant football coach, on paid administrative leave because he ignored orders to stop overt religious displays on the field. Citing past Supreme Court and appeals court cases, officials said they did not want to be seen as endorsing religion.
"While attending games may be voluntary for most students, students required to be present by virtue of their participation in football or cheerleading will necessarily suffer a degree of coercion to participate in religious activity when their coaches lead or endorse it," Bremerton School District said.