Praying HS football coach placed on paid leave by district

© Meegan M. Reid/Kitsap Sun/AP Photo

Praying football coach placed on paid leave by district - The coach  of a  Washington state high school football  team   who  prayed  on  games despite  orders   by the  school district  in order to  stop  are  placed  with  paid administrative leave  your own  same  time   a great  group  regarding  self-described Satanists said  It  planned  to help  attend  the  Thursday game  to be able to  protest  your  practice.

Joe Kennedy, Bremerton High School's assistant football coach,  was  put  in  leave  because  he refused  in order to  comply  with  district directives  to be able to  avoid overt religious displays  towards the  field, Bremerton School District officials said  in   a great   report  late Wednesday.

Kennedy  has  vocally prayed  earlier   IN ADDITION TO   right after  games, sometimes joined  by  students,  since the  2008. But  your own  practice recently came  on the  district's attention,  IN ADDITION TO   The item   inquired  him  to  stop.

He initially agreed, but then,  inside   help   by the  Texas-based Liberty Institute,  a great  religious-freedom organization, he resumed  ones  postgame prayers, silently  shipping   an  knee  pertaining to  15  for you to  20  just a few seconds   from  midfield  immediately after  shaking hands  by the  opposing coaches. His lawyers insist he  is usually  not leading students  throughout  prayer,  merely  praying himself.

The debate  in the  school across Puget Sound west  involving  Seattle  has   were made  attention  for the  role  regarding  religion  throughout   standard  schools. Dozens  of  lawmakers  on the  Congressional Prayer Caucus  sent   a good  letter  your  week  on the  superintendent expressing  help   for its  coach.

"While  your  district appreciates Kennedy's  several  positive contributions  on the  BHS football program,  IN ADDITION TO   thus  regrets  ones  necessity  of   this  action, Kennedy's  accomplish  poses  a good   true  risk  that this  District  is usually  liable  regarding  violating  the  federal  ALONG WITH  state constitutional rights  of  students  as well as  others,"  your   statement  said.

The district said Kennedy  will be  still employed  AS WELL AS   is actually  paid  through the  remainder  associated with  his contract term unless his status changes. He won't  be   granted   for you to  participate  throughout   any kind of  activities  with regards to   your own  football program,  while   your own  district said he  can  attend games  like a  member  of an  public.

Kennedy's lawyer, Hiram Sasser, called  ones  leave  a great  hostile  employment  action.

"It's surprising  AND ALSO  shocking," Sasser said.

He said they plan  to help  file  a good  charge  of  discrimination  through the  Equal  employment  Opportunity Commission,  that will  he said  can be a   subsequently  step.

The announcement came  as a  group  associated with  robe-wearing, incense-spreading Satanists planned  in order to  attend Thursday's game. Senior class president Abe Bartlett said Wednesday  The item  he  feel   single   of an  few students  whom  invited  your own  Satanic Temple  associated with  Seattle, saying  It   was   a great  effort  to acquire   your  school district  in order to  clarify  it\'s  policy.

"The main reason  i  did  This is   to be able to  portray  towards the  school district  The idea   i  think  we   Should  either  get a  policy  That  we're not going  to obtain   virtually any  religious affiliation  as well as   recognized  religious practices,  or  they  Should  say  a person   are going to be   permitted   to be able to  practice  it\'s  religion publicly whatever  it is  beliefs," said Bartlett, 17.

"They need  for you to  either  go  black  or perhaps  white," he said. "I don't think  the  controversial middle ground  is actually  what  MY OWN  school needs."

The Satanic Temple,  which   features  42 members  inside   the  Seattle chapter,  mentioned   It   from  allowing  the  coach  to help   continue  praying,  the  district  provides   formulated   a  forum  pertaining to  religious expression open  in order to   many  groups.  The item   enquired  permission  in order to   operate   a  invocation  to the   package   soon after   the  game.

"It'll  surely   be   a good  theatrical production  :  robes, incense,  when i   get a  gong," chapter head Lilith Starr said. "There  are generally   several  students  IN ADDITION TO  teachers  on  Bremerton High  exactly who  don't  am   such as   these are generally  being represented  towards the  football field."

The district did not respond  to   a good   ask  comment  Concerning the  group.

The group doesn't believe  with  Satan except  Just like  "a potent symbol  connected with  rebellion against tyranny,"  That  says  on   its  website.  It has   the  atheist group  That  rejects  your  notion  of  supernatural deities  ALONG WITH  espouses values  including  scientific inquiry  IN ADDITION TO  compassion,  The item  says.