KGMI News

BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) – The Bremerton School District does not have to immediately re-hire a football coach who lost his job for praying.

A federal appeals court ruled coach Joe Kennedy’s on field prayers are not protected free speech.

His attorney, Jeremy Dys, disagrees.

“What the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has done here is to say, ‘You are now banned as coaches from praying individually in public, just because you can be seen,’ and that is in disagreement with the Constitution,” Dys said.

Kennedy led players in post-game prayers until the district ordered him to stop, saying he violated the separation of church and state.

He defied the ban and was fired.

He sued and asked a judge to force the district to re-hire him while the case proceeds.

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