High School Coach Got Fired For Praying With Football Players But Tables Turned After He Was Awarded $1.7 Million Settlement

Mar 30, 2023

While the US public school system follows the declaration of the separation of church and state, some school officials have personal rituals that include religion. One public high school football coach in Washington set a precedent after he lost his job after leading prayers on the field after games. Then again, it was only a matter of time before the justice system realized nothing was wrong with what he was doing, as the court eventually sided with him in a ruling in June 2022. More than that, he has proven that every person should have the right not to hide who they are and what they believe in as long as they do not hurt anyone in the process.

Joe Kennedy, a Marine Corps veteran from Bremerton, Washington, had been coaching high school football for eight years until 2015, when school district officials suspended him for doing post-game prayers on the field, according to The Seattle Times.

In a statement released at the time, the Bremerton School District said there were constitutional concerns because he violated "constitutionally-required directives that he refrains from engaging in overt, public religious displays on the football field while on duty."

While no players complained over his prayers, the school district argued that it "has a fundamental obligation to protect the rights of all of its students."

Kennedy started praying alone on the 50-yard line until prayers eventually joined him. 

But Kennedy did not leave without a fight as he filed a suit against the school district over his decision to do midfield prayers and for his contract not getting renewed.

In his defense, his prayers were brief and lasted only less than a minute. He also added that he only exercised private individual acts of faith. Yet, he did it for seven years as part of his routine ritual.

For Kennedy, he promised God to always offer a prayer regardless of whether he won a game or lost.

"It was my covenant between me and God that after every game, win or lose, I'm going to do it right there on the field of battle," he told ABC News.

Kennedy also reiterated that everyone has the right to exercise their religion, whether they have faith in a higher being or none.

"This is a right for everybody. It doesn't matter if you're this religion or that religion or have no faith whatsoever," Kennedy said. "Everybody has the same rights in America," he added.

But in June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that he can legally do so under the First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise of religion.

"The Constitution and the best of our traditions counsel mutual respect and tolerance, not censorship and suppression, for religious and nonreligious views alike," Republic Justice Neil Gorsuch said via The Seattle Times.

"This is just so awesome," Kennedy said in a statement at that time. "All I've ever wanted was to be back on the field with my guys."

Part of the ruling said he would be able to collect a $1.7 million settlement and get his job in the spring season of 2023.

Kennedy reiterated that he only wanted to pray alone but said students could freely join him if they wished to.

What do you think about Joe Kennedy's decision to pray midfield? Do you think he was within his rights to exercise his freedom of religion? Let us know your thoughts, and pass this on to your family and friends who might find this story interesting!