Cambridge Christian School Case

Meet Cambridge Christian School

Since the inception of the football program, the school’s tradition of praying over the loudspeaker before football games has never been broken, until now. Before kick-off, players, coaches, and fans pause as a student, parent, or faculty member offers a short prayer over the loudspeaker—the only way players and their parents can unite in prayer in a stadium.

FHSAA Denies Schools’ Request for Pre-Game Prayer

In the fall of 2015, the CCS Lancers won their way to the state football championship for the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) 2A division. The game was scheduled for Friday, December 4, 2015 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida, where the Lancers would face off against University Christian School.

Since both of the Christian schools had a tradition of pre-game prayer, CCS asked to use the loudspeaker to offer a prayer in the cavernous stadium before kick-off at the championship game. The FHSAA denied the request, forbidding the schools from praying over the loudspeaker. The association argued that somehow this could be viewed as an endorsement of religion since the Christian schools would be praying on government property.

The football players, coaches and fans were devastated by the FHSAA’s decision.

Jacob Enns said, “We were really excited to play in the championship game. It’s been our tradition to pray ever since I’ve been on the team. But then they said we couldn’t pray and our tradition was ruined. It was so disappointing.”

First Liberty Legal Action

First Liberty attorneys sent a demand letter to FHSAA behalf of Cambridge Christian School on January 26, 2016, arguing that the FHSAA violated CCS’s rights as a religious institution.

On September 26, 2016, First Liberty attorneys, along with concerned parents and teachers, appeared at an FHSAA board meeting and asked the FHSAA to adopt a policy that would respect the religious freedom of students across the state of Florida. The FHSAA declined to take action, so on September 27, First Liberty Institute along with the volunteer law firm of Greenberg Traurig filed a lawsuit against the FHSAA. Read the lawsuit.

“By banning the pre-game prayer over the loudspeaker, the FHSAA sent a message to these students that prayer is wrong and something you should be ashamed of. That is dangerous and unconstitutional,” said Hiram Sasser, General Counsel for First Liberty.

On February 3, 2017, a Tampa district magistrate issued a “report and recommendation,” stating the two Christian schools cannot pray over the loudspeaker at the Citrus Bowl. Read the report and recommendation.

On October 20, 2017, attorneys for Cambridge filed a brief before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  Oral arguments at the Eleventh Circuit took place in September of 2018. In November 2019, the Eleventh Circuit ruled that Cambridge Christian School’s argument that its free speech and free exercise rights were violated have merit and should proceed.  But in 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued a decision affirming the FHSAA rule prohibiting two Christian schools from praying over the loudspeaker.

In August 2022, attorneys with again filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on behalf of Cambridge, asking the court to reverse the lower court’s decision.  A three judge panel, however, upheld the lower court’s decision.  Attorneys have appealed to the full Eleventh Circuit.

Jeremy Dys, Special Counsel for First Liberty said, “It is unfortunate that a panel of the Eleventh Circuit refused to apply the protections of the First Amendment for students at a private Christian school who wish to pray before a football game.  Still, it is surprising that the FHSAA continues to defend its past practice of treating prayer differently from non-religious messages, clearly telling high school kids that prayer in public is wrong.”