The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a high school football coach in Washington state who was suspended by the school district for leading post-game prayers on the field. The 6-3 decision, with all conservative justices in the majority, concluded the school district was wrong to reprimand the coach for encouraging students to engage in prayer in violation of school policy.
"Respect for religious expressions is indispensable to life in a free and diverse Republic," wrote Justice Neil Gorsuch for the majority, "whether those expressions take place in a sanctuary or on a field, and whether they manifest through the spoken word or a bowed head.”
In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, "This decision does a disservice to schools and the young citizens they serve, as well as to our Nation's longstanding commitment to the separation of church and state."
References
- Syllabus of Kennedy v. Bremerton School Districtsupremecourt.gov
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