Legal Docket

Legal Docket


Level Praying Field

August 30, 2022

Kennedy v. Bremerton School District: Joe Kennedy was a football coach for Bremerton School District, a public school in Washington. He had a practice of praying on the 50-yard-line at the end of each game, sometimes with students. He also held pre-game locker room prayers with players and spoke about faith in motivational talks. When the school learned of his practices, it feared those practices violated the First Amendment’s establishment clause. Kennedy stopped his locker room prayers and religious references in talks, but continued his midfield prayers. When he lost his job for that, he sued, claiming the school violated his First Amendment rights of free speech and freedom of religion. 


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