The Bremerton School District suspended, and later fired, Coach Kennedy over his silent, 15-second prayer. First Liberty Institute filed a lawsuit against the school district in August 2016, where a federal district court upheld Coach Kennedy’s termination. Following oral arguments in 2017, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit concluded that, because Coach Kennedy could be seen by students and fans engaging in religious expression, the school lawfully terminated his employment and his silent prayers were not protected by the Constitution. Attorneys with First Liberty intend to appeal Coach Kennedy’s case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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