THE SUPREME COURT WILL HEAR THE CASE OF A CHRISTIAN FOOTBALL COACH WHO WAS FIRED FOR PRAYING ON THE FIELD.

On Friday, the Supreme Court announced that it will hear oral arguments in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, a case involving a high school football coach who was fired for praying on the field after games.

The case involves Joseph Kennedy, who was suspended and later fired from his coaching position in the Bremerton School District in Washington state in 2015 for his post-game prayers.

Kennedy, who has long fought his dismissal in court, is attempting to overturn a 2017 decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which allowed the school district to fire him.

According to The Christian Post, the Supreme Court decided not to hear Kennedy’s appeal in 2019, remanding the case to lower courts. Judge Ronald Leighton ruled in favor of the school district in a U.S. District Court, saying that the school was within their rights to prohibit Kennedy from praying on the football field after games.

The case was then heard by the Ninth Circuit, which declined to hear arguments in Kennedy’s case.

After the Supreme Court declined to hear arguments in July, First Liberty, a Texas-based law firm representing Kennedy, refiled the case in September.

“No American should be forced to choose between their faith and their job,” said Kelly Shackelford, President, CEO, and Chief Counsel of First Liberty. “The Ninth Circuit’s decision jeopardizes the rights of millions of Americans who simply want to be able to practice their faith freely without fear of losing their job.” We hope that the Supreme Court will correct this error and return Coach Kennedy to the football field where he belongs.”

Former U.S. solicitor general Paul Clement, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and a volunteer attorney for First Liberty, added that the case “goes to the heart of the First Amendment, to the justices.”

Kennedy, who was the head coach for the Bremerton High School junior varsity football team and an assistant coach for the varsity team, made it a practice to take a knee on the field post-game and silently thank God. He had been coaching for the district since 2008.

According to First Liberty, none of the coaches, parents or students complained about the practice. Instead, a compliment led the school district to instruct Kennedy to stop praying.