Supreme Court Won’t Take Case From High School Coach Who Wants To Join Student-Run Prayer

• March 2, 2009

Because it’s not like he’s got a right to free religion or anything.

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a high school football coach who wants to bow his head and kneel during prayers led by his players despite a school district policy prohibiting it.
In an order Monday, the justices are ending Marcus Borden’s fight against the East Brunswick, N.J., school district’s policy that forbids him and other staff members from joining in student-led prayer. The federal appeals court in Philadelphia sided with the district.

What’s frustrating is that the Constitutional protections of religion were not intended to be used like this. The first amendment was intended to keep the government from stopping us from saying what we want and publishing what we want and worshiping when and how we want. It wasn’t intended to grant the government license to prohibit religious expression in some settings.
A voluntary pre-game prayer session, one that students aren’t required to participate in but can choose to if they want, is not an example of the sort of state-sanctioned religion prohibited by the Constitution. It’s an example of free citizens exercising their right to free religion, and simply being a school employee should not prohibit coaches from taking part.
Consider this for a moment. Obama just signed into law legislation that will put all of your medical records in a national repository where bureaucrats can review the sort of care you’re getting. The IRS can, at any moment, choose to review your entire financial life on the off-chance that you might be committing tax fraud. But a high school coach can’t choose to join a voluntary prayer session with his students.
But hey, it’s a free country, right?

Tags: Domestic Issues, Politics, Religion

http://Array WiseBruin

Buzz-
Rob is an atheist. Your argument is embarrassing. It would probably be to the benefit of anyone reading this blog that you resign from your use of the internet forever. Thankyou.
crshedd

and further;

if the students were practicing muslim prayers, everyone on this site would be raising holy hell. you all would demand it end.

that is why the government, thus the coach, cannot endorse a religion.
WiseBruin

Hey Buzz-
Let free individuals exercise their freedom of religion guaranteed by the constitution. You can teach your “spawn” about all of the thought-provoking and interesting ideas that you regularly share on this blog. In the mean time, spend a little less time trying to educate the internet, and a little more time educating your children about the wondrous saving power of the US Government. I am still embarrassed for you.
WiseBruin

crshedd-
Your premise that the coach’s participation in a prayer is an endorsement is flawed. Participation is not endorsement. “Congress shall make no law…” Also, you are bigoted to say that we (I, and those sharing my basic views on this blog) would cry foul if a Muslim prayer were said before a game. As long as students are free to choose to participate or refuse to participate, then the rights of those who wish to participate should not be restricted. Faith (of any kind) has a proud heritage in this country and in the world, and it should be celebrated, not regulated by an overzealous bench. Those who have no faith can also appreciate and celebrate the fact that they may do so openly and without fear of recrimination. This is common sense here. People should be free to exercise and practice their religion as long as it doesn’t do harm to others, and it can be done so as a coach praying with a group of students without it establishing a religious preference.
Buzz

You being offended by this is a testament to your character.

I am not offended in the least, I bow my head and pray to a Christan God like any other. But I don’t want the majority of any given school district to decide what religion is taught in school, that is not the place. I would be offended if they tried to teach my kids about the Koran, or Buddhism. And that is why(among others) there is a separation in church and state. It is not the governments place to condone or practice any religion. That coach is a employee of the government, like it or not. And therefore is representing the government in the eyes of the Supreme Court.
crshedd

this is what the issue is:

the coach is employed by the school district, a government entity, therefore a representative of that entity.

if the coach participates in student led prayer, then it can and will be construed that the government is endorsing a particular religion.

if the government endorses a specific religion, it is in direct violation of the constitution.

what is so hard to understand.

the coach is able to practice his religion as he sees fit on his own time. during the school day, practice and games he is on government time, not his own.
robert108

If it was guaranteed by the constitution why did the Supreme Court say it wasnt?

Because the Supreme Court is packed with America-hating lefties like you. Do you really not know that? SCOTUS has been legislating from the bench for over thirty years, and you were unaware of it? That’s some ignorance.

Thanks, Obama! He has tanked the Dow to under 6800.
shadowboxer

Bill, perhaps you don’t know the difference between a public school, as in government run, and free enterprise. Look it up.
Buzz

Let the public schools teach the three “R”‘s. You all teach your spawn about whatever cult your into at home.
Buzz

Why do you hate freedom?

Dude ,I dont hate freedom, but this isn’t Nascar. This is a school that is a government function. And the supreme court has made multiple decisions on this topic. You are a conservative who is suppose to uphold the law and constitution. I wasn’t kidding about the chicken, here is what the court said in a ruling.

Church of Lukumi Babalu Ave., Inc. v. Hialeah, 113 S. Ct. 2217 (1993)

City’s ban on killing animals for religious sacrifices, while allowing sport killing and hunting, was unconstitutional discrimination against the Santeria religion.

Kennedy was the only one to vote against it. All I’m saying is if you let one religion preform a religious act, you must let them all. If you disagree with the supreme court decisions dont take it out on me. I’m just pointing out that you are advocating one religion over the next.
Buzz

It’s an example of free citizens exercising their right to free religion, and simply being a school employee should not prohibit coaches from taking part.

So if the students wanted to cut the head off a chicken, to ward off evil spirits, the school should support that also? You want the schools to support religion, but only your religion. The school is condoning a specific religion when they, or any employees take part. Can you imagine if the students and coaches were to bow and kneel to the east before a game how you all would flip out?

Every school in every county should support every religion. Is that what your advocating?
WiseBruin

Buzz-
The premise of your argument is that the Supreme Court’s decisions ALWAYS follow the constitution. This is of course absurd considering the rulings it made regarding slavery, etc… Also, I’d be interested to hear you cite a case heard recently by the Supreme Court that has tested exactly how conservative it really is. You tell me how a coach, kneeling to pray with members of a football team before a game “establishes a religion.” It nowhere in the story says that students of other faiths were discouraged or forbidden to practice their religion in any way. To the contrary, this ruling “prohibits the free exercise thereof.” You being offended by this is a testament to your character. Stop being a victim.
http://www.sayanythingblog.com/ electnixon

You want the schools to support religion, but only your religion.

Was this directed at Rob? Do you even read this blog?
Buzz

Hey Buzz-
Let free individuals exercise their freedom of religion guaranteed by the constitution.

If it was guaranteed by the constitution why did the Supreme Court say it wasnt? The court is more conservative today than in a long while. You will have no better chance to change, or amend, or re-interpit the constitution than you do right now. And yet they hold firm that there is a separation of church and state. Again don’t kill the messenger.
http://suitepotato.blogspot.com/ sayanything-4808

Had the prayer been ecumenical and Jesus-free and the coach a Jew, I wonder what the reaction would have been.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

Let the public schools teach the three “R”â€˜s. You all teach your spawn about whatever cult your into at home.

Nobody is talking about teaching religion in school. What we’re talking about is the school not preventing coaches from exercising their religion.

Why do you hate freedom?

I mean, I’m an atheist and I get it. Freedom means freedom, Buzz.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

Aren’t you the one Rob, who tells people if they don’t like the way a business is run that they are free to go work elsewhere?

A school isn’t a business. And since when is it ok for any employer to discriminate based on religious grounds?

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Supreme Court Won’t Take Case From High School Coach Who Wants To Join Student-Run Prayer

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