54 US Lawmakers Ask Supreme Court to Protect Football Coach Who Was Fired for Praying

The case involving a former Washington state high school football coach, who was fired over his post-game prayers, is gaining new support from political leaders.

Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) and Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) on Wednesday led a group of 54 bicameral members of Congress to file a brief at the Supreme Court in support of Coach Joe Kennedy.

We live in a nation that honors personal freedom. Coach Kennedy did not use his position to demand others follow his faith. He simply lived by the principles of his sincere faith.https://t.co/5ZrZUwrKbR

— Sen. James Lankford (@SenatorLankford) March 2, 2022

In 2015, Kennedy was fired by the Bremerton School District for kneeling on the 50-yard line after football games and silently praying. As CBN News has reported, his actions were praised by multiple players, even opposing team members. His prayers were not mandatory for players.

However, school officials worried that those football field prayers might give the appearance that the district approved of Coach Kennedy's faith, creating a potential endorsement of religion. They eventually fired Kennedy, which he calls a violation of his right to free speech.

"If Coach Kennedy took a knee during the National Anthem, his school would have praised him, but instead he took a knee after a football game to pray, so the school fired him," said Sen. Lankford. "Schools cannot pick and choose which type of free speech or faith expression they like or do not like. We live in a nation that honors personal freedom."  

Kennedy and his attorneys at the First Liberty Institute filed a lawsuit against the school district. A years-long legal battle ensued and the case was returned for review multiple times. 

Early last year, judges sided with the school district. Then, the entire U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declined to rehear the arguments with Kennedy's case in July.

Lankford and Hartzler also sent an amicus brief in October 2021, which was signed by 12 Senators and 14 Members, asking the Supreme Court to grant a review and reverse the Ninth Circuit's decision.

On Jan. 14, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court finally announced that it would hear oral arguments on the case. 
  
Additionally, attorneys with First Liberty filed an opening brief at the U.S. Supreme Court last week and the law firm says it expects to present oral arguments later this year.

We filed our opening brief for Coach Kennedy's case at the Supreme Court. Read more in this week's Insider: https://t.co/Z8fpEpHeJl

— First Liberty Institute (@1stLiberty) February 26, 2022

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