Coach loses bid to join team in pregame prayer

[GoodDaysAreComing]

This makes me sick, now the Supreme court stops the Coaches from praying with thier players? Just because somebody might be offended ? People wonder why this world is going the way it is , Our society is killing itself.

[GoodDaysAreComing]

WASHINGTON ??” Coach Marcus Borden used to bow his head and drop to one knee when his football team prayed. But the Supreme Court on Monday ended the practice when it refused to hear the high school coach's appeal of a school district ban on employees joining a student-led prayer . The decision on the case from New Jersey could add another restriction on prayer in schools, advocates said.

 

"We've become so politically correct in terms of how we deal with religion that it's being pretty severely limited in schools right now, and individuals suffer," said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute, a civil liberties organization that focuses on First Amendment and religious freedom issues.

 

But Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said some parents had complained about Borden leading prayers before the East Brunswick, N.J., school district ordered him to stop and banned all staff members from joining in student-led prayer.

 

"The bottom line is people in positions of authority, like a coach, have to be extremely careful about trying to promote their ideas, or implying that if you don't pray, you may not play," Lynn said.

 

The high court without comment refused to reconsider the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision upholding the ban.

 

The district established the ban in 2005 after parents complained about Borden, coach at East Brunswick High School since 1983, sometimes leading prayers at the Friday afternoon team pasta dinner or in the locker room before games. Borden said he wanted to show respect for the students engaged in prayer by bowing his head silently and dropping to one knee.

 

The district, Borden argued, was violating his free-speech rights by ordering him to stop action he called secular signs of respect. After the ban, the coach stood at attention for the remainder of the season while the students prayed.

 

Court cites appearance

Judge D. Michael Fisher, writing for the Philadelphia appeals court, said Borden's past action of leading the prayers made his head bowing seem inappropriate. "A reasonable observer would conclude that he is continuing to endorse religion when he bows his head during the pre-meal grace and takes a knee with his team in the locker room while they pray," Fisher said.

 

Messages left for Borden and lawyer Ronald Riccio were not returned Monday.

 

"With teachers and students, individual expressions are being limited. There's just a concept out there that religion doesn't belong in schools," said Whitehead, whose group acted as co-counsel for Borden.

 

School employees should avoid looking like they're endorsing religion in any way, said Lynn, whose group represented the school district. "Coaches are not supposed to be promoting religion; that's up to students and parents and pastors," Lynn said.

[Gridiron88]

This has to honestly be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard of. What is the diffrence, if it offends you look the other way.Any coach should have the choice to pray with his team, even lead his team in prayer. After all for some young men their football coach is their roll model, so why would we not want them to lead a prayer or two.

[bdawig]

This has to honestly be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard of. What is the diffrence, if it offends you look the other way.Any coach should have the choice to pray with his team, even lead his team in prayer. After all for some young men their football coach is their roll model, so why would we not want them to lead a prayer or two.

 

 

AMEN

[FBCOACH]

State law prohibits school employees from joining in student led prayer. This has been the law for decades but most coaches IGNORE the law and do it anyway. I have mixed feelings about this but I understand that we all have a right to pray but teachers do not have the right to force students to pray. A moment of silence would be better, then every one could pray or not pray as they see fit.

[66in74]

I am a Christian.

This country was founded on Christian principals.

I for one will continue to pray in public and in private and I PRAY that Coaches will continue as well.

[bison4]

State law prohibits school employees from joining in student led prayer. This has been the law for decades but most coaches IGNORE the law and do it anyway. I have mixed feelings about this but I understand that we all have a right to pray but teachers do not have the right to force students to pray. A moment of silence would be better, then every one could pray or not pray as they see fit.

 

How about if a player prayed and the coach was present. Is that legal? There has to be a way around this stupidity. ACLU-Anti Christian Liberties Union

Now, can I get an AMEN?

[GengisKahn]

This is sad....what is our country coming too. Our country's founding fathers are rolling over in thier graves knowing how certain folks have twisted the Constitution as they have. The in thing is to be sensitive and not "offend" anybody. Praying is still active in our School, I guess we will continue until somebody gets offended or the liberals get wind of it.

[BROKEDOWN]

Let's see here. They took prayer out of school and ever since they have been declining. All school systems are broke, kid's shoot teachers, kids shoot each other, kids shoot anybody that moves. Seems like it's not turning out to be such a good idea. But don't worry because without GOD in our schools they are not going to last very much longer and then ACLU won't have to worry about it. They go back to important stuff like Nativity scenes.

[turfwalker]

ACLU............they have lost the beginning of what they are about. They can intimidate just about everyone.......because most can't afford the cost to defend the rights. They can break small communities, school systems etc. It's so sad seeing how the country has changed. Values are left up to the powerful, not the people. The majority of the people still have the morals etc. But the wishes of the people are being ignored.

 

Its hard to find Americans anymore without a title. Democratic American, Republican American, Mexican American, Afro American. What happened to just plain ol' American.

 

No prayer for those who wish...........just sad!

[scofeild]

ACLU............they have lost the beginning of what they are about. They can intimidate just about everyone.......because most can't afford the cost to defend the rights. They can break small communities, school systems etc. It's so sad seeing how the country has changed. Values are left up to the powerful, not the people. The majority of the people still have the morals etc. But the wishes of the people are being ignored.

 

Its hard to find Americans anymore without a title. Democratic American, Republican American, Mexican American, Afro American. What happened to just plain ol' American.

 

No prayer for those who wish...........just sad!

 

You may be the smartest person I have saw on here yet....Plain ol AMERICAN suits me just fine and I sincerly hope that every coach in america would hold a moment of prayer before every outing of his team.............

[GreeneDevil94]

This makes me sick, now the Supreme court stops the Coaches from praying with thier players? Just because somebody might be offended ? People wonder why this world is going the way it is , Our society is killing itself.

 

 

Not allowing a coach to pray would be forcing Atheism on him. Would this not be a violation of separation of church and state, the same law they are using against him?