Football Coach Told He Can't Pray

Ironic, coming on the heels of the previous post:

(CNSNews.com) - A civil liberties group has filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of a high school football coach who was told he could not bow his head silently or get down on bended knee during student-initiated prayer before games. In October 2005, East Brunswick High School officials in New Jersey adopted a policy which forbade school officials from taking part in student-initiated prayer, arguing that while student athletes had the right to pray, that does not apply to coaches, because they are public employees and their participation would violate the so-called "separation of church and state." In July 2006, a federal court ruled in favor of Coach Marcus Borden, saying that his constitutional rights to free speech, freedom of association and academic freedom were violated. The school district, however, appealed the decision with the help of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "This is a time and place when student religious expression is both appropriate and constitutionally sound," John Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute, said in a statement. "This school district's insistence on forbidding the small gestures of respect Coach Borden desires to demonstrate to his football team is part of an unfortunate national trend to use the Establishment Clause as a justification for suppressing the liberty of individuals whenever matters of faith are involved," Whitehead added.

My Comments:
After a week of hearing from the 2 Super Bowl coaches about how one can be an effective football coach AND a man of faith, the State of New Jersey begs to differ.