News

Please Pray for Coach Kennedy and First Liberty

by Mia Gradick • 5 min read

In just a few days—on Monday, April 25^th—Coach Joe Kennedy will have his day at the Supreme Court.

Coach has been fighting for his constitutional rights since 2015, after his school district unjustly fired him for kneeling on the 50-yard line for a brief, personal prayer. Now, he will have an opportunity to plead his case before the nation’s highest court.

A win could finally right the wrongs done to this American hero, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who made a personal commitment to pray and thank God for the opportunity to be a football coach. A victory would allow him to return to the game he loves, while also being able to live out his faith.

But winning Coach Kennedy’s case wouldn’t just deliver justice for one coach. This is the first religious liberty case at the Supreme Court involving a public school coach and the right to live out one’s faith. It presents an opportunity for the Court to review—and possibly rectify—precedent that has harmed religious liberty for decades. That means the outcome could have a broad impact for the right of public-school employees nationwide.

We want to thank YOU for standing strong alongside Coach Kennedy and First Liberty. We couldn’t have gotten to the Supreme Court without your generous support.

Now that we’re only a few short days away from oral argument, we’re asking you to please continue praying for Coach Kennedy.

If you’ve closely followed this case, you know it’s been a long and arduous legal battle. Coach Kennedy had the courage to kneel and pray, knowing it would ultimately cost him his job. Never one to back down from a challenge, Coach has endured nearly seven grueling years of litigation to restore his right to pray. Despite numerous setbacks, his courage and tenacity have brought him to first and goal at the U.S. Supreme Court. This wasn’t easy—and now it’s up to us to give him the spiritual support he needs as his case is being argued.

Click here if you would like to send a personal note of encouragement to Coach Kennedy. This will let him know that he’s not alone in this fight.

Here’s how many of our faithful supporters are supporting, praying and encouraging Coach Kennedy in this crucial battle:

Additionally, we humbly ask you to please pray for:

• First Liberty’s legal team and everyone on staff who’s devoting extra time to prepare for the argument. Especially, we ask you to please pray for First Liberty President, CEO and Chief Counsel Kelly Shackelford, along with multiple members of our staff, who will be at the Supreme Court on the day of argument.
• Paul Clement, our volunteer attorney who will be arguing before the justices. Clement is no stranger to arguing a case at the highest level. He is a former U.S. Solicitor General and an elite litigator with more than 100 Supreme Court arguments. In the coming days, your prayers will supply Paul with spiritual support, so that his decades of preparation and experience can shine through when defending Coach Kennedy.
• All nine Supreme Court Justices. Please join us in praying for each of the justices, so they will have an open mind as they listen to our arguments. No matter their philosophy on the law and the Constitution, we’re praying they all agree to protect Coach Kennedy’s right to pray.

Again, we cannot express how grateful we are to you for your steadfast support throughout all these years. We could not have brought Coach Kennedy’s case this far without your help.

As oral argument quickly approaches, your support is essential. We appreciate your prayers and encouragement—and we also need your ongoing financial support.

Right now, there’s a unique opportunity for you to impact for the future of religious freedom in our country.

A small group of First Liberty supporters have generously come forward with a $500,000 Challenge Grant that MULTIPLIES THE IMPACT of your donation in the final few days before oral argument.

Please give to First Liberty today. With your support, we can keep fighting for Coach Kennedy—and winning victories that restore religious freedom for millions of Americans.