Parents Support High School Coach Offering Post-Game Prayers
A Washington state school district is investigating a coach who is conducting post-game prayers, but he has the support of parents.
Joe Kennedy, the coach at Bremerton High School told King5 that he has always prayed after games, and students have voluntarily joined him. He told supporters the district said he couldn’t lead the players in prayer and he could be fired if he continued to do so. But that hasn’t stopped him, and he hasn’t been fired.
“I spent 20 years in the Marine Corps, and it’s been about protecting the freedom of other people,” Kennedy told King5. “It’s about the freedom, and people can believe whatever they want. I’m just exercising my right. The game is over, and I just thank god for every one of these young men that are out here.”
…Students and parents are planning a rally supporting Kennedy on Friday, and in the meantime a Facebook page supporting him has been started.
“You can bet if the Muslims were out there praying, not a word would be said!!!! God bless you Joe Kennedy and I praying for you and the players. God is in control!” Marsha Arnold wrote.
Good to know how inclusive this group is.
Copyright 2015 Liberaland
14 responses to Parents Support High School Coach Offering Post-Game Prayers
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rg9rts September 16th, 2015 at 12:16
He can do what ever he wants…just make it mandatory for the players
Budda September 16th, 2015 at 13:39
I believe you might have forgotten the word ‘don’t’
rg9rts September 16th, 2015 at 13:52
OOPS
Budda September 16th, 2015 at 13:40
20 years in the corps doesn’t give you special previliges coach
toadUso September 16th, 2015 at 13:49
While doing his job at a public school, he cannot do this. He could wait until the kids were out of uniform and released from his supervision as coach, meet at a designated spot (even on school grounds) and pray as a group and not have a problem. Doubtful the prayer could not wait. But then we can’t claim persecution.
Jimmy Fleck September 16th, 2015 at 15:35
The article says that the players that join in prayer voluntarily join so this should be no big deal. It is after the game and the players are free to leave if they don’t want to pray. He is not on school time at that point if the game is over.
bpollen September 16th, 2015 at 16:28
He’s a representative of the school leading a prayer AT the school at the end of school event. His responsibilities do not end when the final buzzer sounds.
Jimmy Fleck September 17th, 2015 at 11:14
He is allowed to pray after a school event if he wants. He is not allowed to force anyone to join him. If someone feels they have been mistreated because they did not join in the prayer then I would be all for that person filing a complaint.
His responsibilities do not end but his freedom of religion is not handed over either. Show that he is forcing people to participate or punishing those that don’t and I will support his removal.
bpollen September 17th, 2015 at 15:51
You say:
“He is allowed to pray after a school event if he wants
The source article says:
A Washington public school district is investigating a high school football coach for leading prayers after games
Why do you feel the need to misrepresent his actions? As an employee of the state and of the school, as an adult in CHARGE of students until they go home (or at least leave school grounds), on school grounds, while players were still present and not even changed out of their uniforms after a school-sponsored event on those self-same school grounds, he LED prayers as if he were some lay preacher conducting Christian services. Totally unlike what you purport he was doing.
He is perfectly free to pray to himself. Nobody is saying he doesn’t have the right to petition or thank “The Lord” with prayer. If he prays to himself. That’s NOT what he did.
Would you be so opened minded if he were Muslim and conducting Du’a amongst the players?
Shirl Hopkins September 16th, 2015 at 17:18
the prob is how many joined “voluntarily” so as to not be ostracized by their peers.
BigDumbWhiteGuy September 17th, 2015 at 08:05
He is in a position of power and authority over those players. His wish, request, or invitation for players to join him in prayers can reasonably be seen to be more than that. His faith is his personal business, and the player’s faith is their own personal business. It is inappropriate for someone in a position such as a coach to mingle their personal business with the personal business of those under him. He’s supposedly a 20-year veteran of the USMC. In the Marines, such mingling of personal matters between a superior and a subordinate is known as fraternization, and it is not allowed. He should know better.
Larry Schmitt September 16th, 2015 at 13:55
Coach is not familiar with Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Shirl Hopkins September 16th, 2015 at 17:17
gee i wish that gawd would spend more time helping the homeless, the unemployed, those w/o health ins, the disabled ( still waiting for him to regrow amputated limbs,) and way less time being concerned with who wins ball games.
Larry Schmitt September 16th, 2015 at 17:57
That’s the so-called Christians’ fantasy. And if you asked them, they would tell you they’re not praying to win. But the way I see it, it’s like war. In WWI, both the Allies and the Central Powers thought god was on their side. The Germans’ motto was “Gott mit Uns. God with us. He obviously couldn’t be on both sides. In fact, he was on neither side.