School coach violated religion ban in prayer ritual: US court [View All]

[Breeze54]

School coach violated religion ban in prayer ritual: US court

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jpGMFiaAolSMAoozHAw8WBT6P4qg

WASHINGTON (AFP) — A football coach violated a ban on teaching religion in public schools when he joined his players in kneeling and head-bowing rituals before games, a US appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The decision could have national implications and may ultimately affect thousands of schools throughout the United States, many of which are believed to employ coaches who engage in prayer with their teams.

Marcus Borden, a Spanish teacher and coach since 1983 at East Brunswick High School in the eastern state of New Jersey, routinely joined in prayers at team meals and invited his players to drop to one knee in a silent locker-room prayer before kick-off.

In 2005 some parents complained of what they saw as Borden introducing religion into the public school system -- an act banned by the US Constitution which calls for the separation of church and state.

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ruled that Borden's extensive involvement with the team's prayers violated the Establishment clause of the Constitution's First Amendment.

"When viewing the acts in light of Borden's 23 years of prior prayer activities with the East Brunswick High School football team during which he organized, participated in, and even led prayer activities with his team, a reasonable observer would conclude that Borden was endorsing religion when he engaged in these acts," the court said in a statement.

Following the parent complaints in 2005, the school ordered that students be allowed to retain their constitutional rights to pray, but that teachers could not participate.

Borden reportedly had earlier sued the school district for his right to silently join his players in the pre-game ritual. In July 2006 a judge upheld Borden's right to do so, but the appeals court annuled the decision.