AFPI Files Amicus Brief in the United States Supreme Court to Support Coach Fired for Praying After Game
March 03, 2022
Washington, D.C. – America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) Constitutional Litigation Partnership (CLP), in conjunction with AFPI’s Center for 1776 and Center for Opportunity Now, filed an Amicus Curiae with the United States Supreme Court. AFPI’s brief supports Coach Joe Kennedy, a Marine veteran and long-time high school football coach in Washington state who was barred from coaching in 2015 – and later fired for silently praying at the 50-yard line after each game.
Coach Kennedy first filed suit against Bremerton School District (BSD) in 2016, but the District Court, then the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, sided with BSD. Now, it is up to the Supreme Court to decide if Americans have the right to freely express their religion or if they must choose between their faith and their job.
AFPI’s brief utilizes the unique experience and expertise of Coach Lou Holtz and Jack Brewer to demonstrate the long history of faith in sports and the benefits that come from intertwining the two.
AFPI’s full Amicus brief can be read here.
Statement from The Honorable Pam Bondi, Chair of the Constitutional Litigation Partnership:
“AFPI is proud to support Coach Kennedy’s case and stand up for Americans’ constitutional rights. Every American has the right to engage in individual religious expression without the fear of losing their job. It is our hope that the Court will uphold religious freedoms in our Nation so that no American will have to be faced with choosing between their faith and their livelihood.”
Statement from Coach Lou Holtz, Chair of Center for 1776:
“Every success that I’ve enjoyed—whether on the field or in life—is directly attributable to my faith, which I’ve never had to hide or defer. I implore the Supreme Court to consider the words of James Madison: ‘The Religion then of every man must be left to the conviction and conscience of every man, and it is the right of every man to exercise it as these may dictate. This right is in its nature an unalienable right.’ This is what’s at stake in this case. Therefore, I offer my unqualified and solemn support to Coach Kennedy.
Statement from Jack Brewer, Chair of Center for Opportunity Now & Vice-Chair of Center for 1776:
“This case is a defining moment in the spiritual future of America. As the majority of our institutions try to balance between the believer and non-believer, patriots like Coach Kennedy have been living examples of fearless obedience to God, similar to our Founding Fathers. I strongly urge the Supreme Court and believers across America to fast, pray, and offer unwavering support for Coach Kennedy in this case.”
More News
May 19, 2022
AFPI Speaker Series: The Systematic Dismantling of American Border Security ft. Rep. Jim Jordan
Join Keynote Speaker U.S. Congressman Jim Jordan along with AFPI’s own the Honorable Chad Wolf and former Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Mark Morgan, on…
May 19, 2022
Statement from AFPI on the “Unconscionably Excessive” Price-Fixing Measures — Market Distortion is an Invitation for Recession
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act. The bill would empower the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on whatever it deems…
May 18, 2022
Murderous Cartels, Illicit Drugs, and Human Trafficking: The Threat and Atrocity of America’s Porous Southern Border
Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) / Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) represent a clear and present danger to stability in Mexico and Central America and have wide-spread…