BREMERTON – The Bremerton School District Wednesday night released a four-page document explaining why it decided to place Bremerton assistant football coach Joe Kennedy on paid leave.
“Kennedy’s conduct poses a genuine risk that the District will be liable for violating the federal and state constitutional rights of students or others,” the letter states. “For this reason, Kennedy will not be allowed to further violate the District’s directives.”
Earlier, the district had asked Kennedy to cease praying on the 50-yard-line while working as a coach, as the act could be perceived as government sponsorship of a religion. Kennedy refused their request, and also declined to pray in private elsewhere in the stadium instead of on the center of the field.
“He remains employed by the District, and will be paid as such throughout the remainder of his contract term, unless his employment status is changed in the future. However, unless and until he affirms his intention to comply with the District’s directives, he will not participate, in any capacity, in BHS football program activities,” the district’s letter stated.
“While attending games may be voluntary for most students, students required to be present by virtue of their participation in football or cheerleading will necessarily suffer a degree of coercion to participate in religious activity when their coaches lead or endorse it.”
The letter, available online in Adobe PDF format, describes in a question-and-answer format the thinking behind the school district’s decision. The questions addressed include:
- Why can’t Kennedy lead students in voluntary prayer? Nobody is forced to participate, are they?
- Why has the District prohibited Mr. Kennedy from praying on his own?
- Why does Kennedy have to hide in order to pray?
- Isn’t Kennedy off duty after the game ends, and free to do what he wants?
- What about a moment of silence?
- Hasn’t the Supreme Court allowed prayers at public meetings? How is this different?
- Why has this come up now, when Kennedy has been praying on the field for years?
- If nobody complained, why not leave Kennedy alone?
- Is the District allowing other groups to use the football field for religious activities?
The Satanic Temple of Seattle, which had earlier threatened to perform a satanic “invocation” on the football field, quickly responded to the district’s letter:
“The Satanic Temple of Seattle has received confirmation directly from the Bremerton School District that they have placed coach Kennedy on paid administrative leave until such time as he can comply with the legal directive given by the district to refrain from public praying at school events while on duty.
In light of this action taken by the Bremerton School District, we withdraw all requests to perform invocations on school property or school events. We will not be performing a Satanic invocation after tomorrow’s football game, though Chapter members will still be attending to meet and in support of the students, teachers and community members who asked us to come represent their beliefs.
— Lilith Starr, Seattle Chapter Head, The Satanic Temple”
On his Facebook page, Kennedy said his “heart and mind” would still be with the Bremerton football team during the home game against the Sequim Wolves on Thursday.
“Forget me and come support these incredible young men who will be battling on the field,” Kennedy wrote.
