by Jorge Gomez • 2 minutes
Students at Cambridge Christian School in Tampa, Florida were banned from praying over the loudspeaker at one of their football games. The school has been fighting in court for nearly a decade, trying to have its religious liberty restored.
Today, First Liberty is filing a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear this case.
Cambridge Christian competed against Jacksonville’s University Christian School in a state championship football game in 2015. The game was played at the Citrus Bowl, now known as Orlando’s Camping World Stadium. Consistent with their religious traditions, the two schools asked to lead a brief, pregame prayer over the stadium loudspeaker.
The Florida High School Athletic Association prohibited them from doing so, stating that the prayer would be an impermissible “endorsement” of religion by the state, because it would take place on government property. In other words, the state banned two Christian schools from praying.
Lower courts have ruled against our clients, holding that the FHSAA’s ban was justified because praying over the loudspeakers would be “government speech.”
What’s most ironic about the FHSAA’s action is that the schools were playing at the same venue where, in 1969 and 1983, evangelist Billy Graham shared the Gospel with thousands in attendance. Not only that, but two other Christian schools played a championship game at the stadium in 2012 and were allowed to pray over the loudspeakers.
Even so, the FHSAA dropped the ball, refusing to allow our clients to exercise their constitutional right to pray.
“The Constitution protects the best of our traditions—like prayer before a sporting event— from censorship,” Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys explains. “It protects religious speech, even when it occurs on government property.”
In Kennedy v. Bremerton School District—First Liberty’s landmark victory for Coach Joe Kennedy—the Supreme Court held that government cannot use the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to censor private religious expression that is otherwise protected by the Free Exercise Clause. The decision correctly points out that “the Constitution neither mandates nor tolerates that kind of discrimination.”
This has been a long and difficult legal battle for Cambridge Christian. Getting to this critical point hasn’t been easy—and the school needs our support now more than ever.
We’re preparing for the next, and quite possibly the most demanding, phase of this case. Our clients need your support to ensure we have the resources necessary to fight—and win—at the highest level.
This is a tremendous opportunity to ensure students can freely live out their faith without government censorship. If state officials can discriminate against two Christian schools and prevent them from praying in public, it won’t be long before they selectively choose other speech to censor. The outcome of this case could set a precedent that protects millions of students and everyday Americans.
Right now, there’s a special opportunity for YOU to help First Liberty move the chains toward victory.
At the end of June, we will wrap up our Fiscal Year—and we need your help to reach our yearly goal. If you give to First Liberty any time between today and June 30th, your donation will have a multiplied impact thanks to a generous $500,000 Challenge Grant!
You’re the one keeping us on the frontlines, fighting for what matters most. Can Cambridge Christian count on your support?
Please give to First Liberty today.
 |
|
|
