A Christian American Football coach suspended for praying in public after games has finally been reinstated by his employer after more than seven years.
The District Board of Bremerton High School recently notified Joseph Kennedy, who was assistant coach at Bremerton High until he was placed on leave in 2015, that he can now resume his duties.
The Supreme Court vindicated Kennedy’s actions in July last year, ruling they were protected under the First Amendment rights to free speech and religious expression.
‘Respect’
After the school asked Kennedy not to lead on-field and locker room prayers with students, he continued to kneel and pray in public himself.
Respect for religious expressions is indispensable to life in a free and diverse Republic – The US Supreme Court
As a consequence, Bremerton placed the Christian coach on “paid administrative leave”, during which time his annual contract with the school expired.
After a seven-year battle, the Supreme Court backed Kennedy stating: “Respect for religious expressions is indispensable to life in a free and diverse Republic — whether those expressions take place in a sanctuary or on a field, and whether they manifest through the spoken word or a bowed head.”
Last week, the school’s district board agreed to settle a $1.775 million claim for Kennedy’s attorney fees and announced: “Mr. Kennedy will be an assistant football coach for Bremerton High School for the 2023 season.”
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