Supreme Court and the praying coach: Is it free speech or promoting religion at school?

For many years, the Supreme Court docket has held to the rule that public faculties and their staff could not set up or promote group prayers.

(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Instances)

The Supreme Court docket on Monday will hear the case of a former highschool soccer coach who stated he had a free-speech proper to wish on the 50-yard line surrounded by gamers.

If the courtroom’s conservative majority agrees, it might open the door for a return to organized prayers in public faculties.

For many years, the courtroom has held to the rule that public faculties and their staff could not set up or promote group prayers, even when a pupil is holding the microphone. These choices are based mostly on the first Modification’s ban on “an institution of faith” by the federal government.

However at this time’s conservative justices lean in favor of the first Modification’s assist at no cost speech and the “free train of faith,” they usually query the notion of a strict separation between church and state.

That’s why the case of coach Joe Kennedy towards the Bremerton, Wash., faculties has taken on significance. Civil libertarians say a ruling for Kennedy might be step one to returning some common prayers to faculties.