In the fall of 2015, Cambridge Christian School earned the right to compete in the state football championship for the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) 2A division, against University Christian School. The game was scheduled to be played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Since both teams had a tradition of pre-game prayer, Cambridge asked to use the loudspeaker to begin with a brief prayer before the kick-off. The FHSAA denied the request arguing that it could be viewed as an endorsement of religion since the prayer would be given using government-owned equipment.
First Liberty sent a demand letter to FHSSA on behalf of Cambridge arguing that association’s actions violated the school’s Constitutional rights. When the FHSAA refused to adopt a policy that would uphold the religious freedom of Florida students, First Liberty and the law firm Greenberg Traurig filed a federal lawsuit against the FHSAA.
A Tampa district magistrate issued a report and recommendation stating the two Christian schools cannot pray over the loudspeaker at the Citrus Bowl, prompting attorneys to file an appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
In November 2019, the Eleventh Circuit ruled that Cambridge Christian School’s argument that its free speech and free exercise rights were violated had merit and should proceed. However, three years later the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued a decision affirming the FHSAA rule prohibiting the two Christian schools from praying over the loudspeaker.
But, following a subsequent appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, in September of 2024, a three-judge panel affirmed the lower court’s decision, as did the “en banc” (full panel) of the Eleventh Circuit in February of 2025.
Jeremy Dys, Senior 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.”
News Release
For Immediate Release: 6.27.23
Contact: John Manning, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453
Cambridge Christian School Tells Federal Appeals Court that Prayer at Football Game is Constitutionally Protected
Lawsuit claims athletic association violated the Constitution by prohibiting prayer over the loudspeaker before a football game between two Christian schools.
Jacksonville, FL—Today, First Liberty Institute and the law firms Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, Winston and Strawn, LLP, and Jones Day argued before a federal appeals court that the Florida High School Athletic Association denied their client, Cambridge Christian School, the constitutional right to pray over the loudspeaker at the beginning of the state championship football game between two Christian Schools.
“The First Amendment protects the rights of students and teachers at a private Christian school to pray before a football game, especially when both teams are Christian and have a tradition of prayer before games,” said Jeremy Dys, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute. “By banning the pre-game prayer over the loudspeaker, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) sent a message to these students that prayer is wrong and something you should be ashamed of. That is dangerous and unconstitutional.”
Jesse Panuccio, of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, said, “For seven years, the FHSAA has defended its unconstitutional prayer ban on the mistaken theory that permitting two Christian schools to pray over the religion would violation the Establishment Clause. The Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment means that the government can tolerate religion without endorsing it.”
In 2015, the Florida High School Athletic Association forbade First Liberty Institute client Cambridge Christian School from praying over the loudspeaker at the Citrus Bowl ahead of the state championship football game. The FHSAA stated that because the stadium was city-owned and the FHSAA a government actor, it would violate the Constitution to allow two private Christian schools to pray over the stadium loudspeaker for less than a minute. 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 judgment in FHSAA’s favor. In August 2022, Cambridge Christian again appealed to the Eleventh Circuit.
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About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact John Manning at media@firstliberty.org.
12/5/22 – First Liberty’s Reply Brief
8/8/22 – First Liberty Initial Brief
11/13/19 – Eleventh Circuit Opinion
10/20/17 – First Liberty Opening Brief
01/26/16 – First Liberty Demand Letter
Video Credit: Polyphonic Image, courtesy of First Liberty
Photo Credit: Beth Dare Photography, courtesy of First Liberty
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