Former Bremerton High School coach sidelined for 3 years

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Three years after being fired from his coaching position at Bremerton High School in Washington, Joe Kennedy is still embroiled in a legal battle to be reinstated. Kennedy, a former football coach, was let go in 2019 for refusing to stop praying on the field after games.

Why it matters

The case has become a high-profile battle over the separation of church and state, with Kennedy arguing his right to free speech and religious expression, while the school district maintains that his on-field prayers alienated students and were an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion.

The details

In 2019, the Bremerton School District placed Kennedy on paid administrative leave and later declined to renew his coaching contract after he continued to pray on the field following games, despite the district's requests that he stop. Kennedy sued the district, arguing his First Amendment rights were violated. The case has since made its way through the courts, with the U.S. Supreme Court recently agreeing to hear Kennedy's appeal.

• Kennedy was fired from his coaching position at Bremerton High School in 2019.
• Kennedy filed a lawsuit against the school district shortly after his termination.
• The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Kennedy's appeal in 2022, three years after his initial firing.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments in Kennedy's case during its upcoming term, which begins in October 2022.