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Georgia school district repudiates baptisms on football field

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A Georgia high school violated local public school district policy by allowing a mass baptism of members of its football team on the school's field in an event criticized by a group advocating for the separation of church and state, officials said.

A pastor dunked 18 Villa Rica High School players and one coach into a tub of water on the school's field in a Christian baptism ceremony before an August football team practice.

"We are pleased that the school district has publicly affirmed its commitment to keep religion out of public school events, and concurs that the bizarre baptisms crossed the line," Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the advocacy group Freedom From Religion Foundation, said in a statement on Tuesday.