FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL 10/15/2015 PETITION

Dear Conservatives
,
Football coaches know that victory is often won by taking a knee. Coach Joe Kennedy of Bremerton High School in Washington state knows this tactic well, but it's not running time off the clock that has landed him in hot water. Coach Kennedy kneels to pray at the end of every football game, and it's got him into enough trouble that it could cost him his job.
As Fox News reports, Coach Kennedy has been praying on the field after each game for years, often joined voluntarily by players of both teams. But last month, Bremerton School District Superintendent Aaron Leavell delivered notice to the coach that he no longer had freedom to pray in front of students at the football games. Leavell's directive to the coach contained such warnings as:

• Your talks with students may not include religious express, including prayer. They must remain entirely secular in nature, so as to avoid alienation of any team member.

• If students engage in religious activity, school staff may not take any action likely to be perceived by a reasonable observer, who is aware of the history and context of such activity at BHS, as endorsement of that activity.

As Coach Kennedy's legal team at Liberty Institute noted, "There is no lawful prohibition against Coach Kennedy's practice of saying a private, post-game prayer. The prayers are Coach Kennedy's private religious speech, and no reasonable observer could conclude that BHS sponsors, endorses, or encourages student participation."
Instead of allowing the coach to pray freely, and allowing others to voluntarily join in, the Bremerton School District wants to block Kennedy from practicing his faith.
Like any good football coach, Kennedy doesn't plan on punting on first down. The coach plans to continue his practice of prayer, no matter what the cost.
Please join me in making an "extra point" to Superintendent Aaron Leavell by signing the petition below:

To: Bremerton School District Superintendent Aaron Leavell

I, the undersigned, urge you to fully accommodate Bremerton High School Coach Joe Kennedy's freedom to live according to his faith. His job should not be threatened because he does it according to his deeply-held beliefs, nor should he be forced to hide his Christian faith on the field.

If you agree with the petition above, sign your name by clicking here.

Sincerely,

Tony Perkins
President
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