The former high school coach at the head of the Supreme Court decision involving post-game prayer, joined “The Faulkner Focus” to discuss Monday’s ruling.
According to Fox News Digital, the issue centered on whether a public-school employee praying alone but in view of the students was engaging in unprotected “government speech.”
Joe Kennedy served as the varsity assistant coach at Bremerton School District in Washington from 2008 – 2015.
“You know, I really don’t know what to say. I just can’t stop smiling, and, you know, thank God and thank everybody that supported me, and I found out that I’m not insane,” he said in a transcript obtained by Barrett News Media. “It’s absolutely true of all the facts of the case, and it just feels good to know that the First Amendment is alive and well.”
Kennedy said that he was motivated to get back on the field and coach again. “Soon as they – the school district says, “Hey, come back,” I am there. Absolutely. First play.”
Kelly Shackelford, CEO, First Liberty Institute, joined the conversation. She reiterated that free speech and free exercise are both protected under the First Amendment.
“So, if the government is going to infringe upon that and in this case really fire him because he exercised his First Amendment rights, they’ve got to have some sort of very serious justification for that, and they didn’t have anything like that,” she added.
