The US Supreme Court has ruled that a school employee has the right to pray at midfield after football games. The Court ruled 6-3 in favor of the coach in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. Justice Gorsuch wrote the opinion of the Court, joined by Chief Justice Roberts, as well as Justices Thomas, Alito, Barrett, and Kavanaugh. Thomas and Aliso filed concurring opinions, and Justice Sotomayor dissented, joined by Justices Breyer and Kagan.
Per the Court, “Mr. Kennedy prayed during a period when school employees were free to speak with a friend, call for a reservation at a restaurant, check email, or attend to other personal matters.” He was fired because the school thought allowing his prayers impinged on students’ First Amendment rights. The Court said:
“Here, a government entity sought to punish an individual for engaging in a brief, quiet, personal religious observance doubly protected by the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses of the First Amendment.”
