by Jorge Gomez • 6 minutes
When Coach Joe Kennedy took a knee on the 50-yard line to pray many years ago, he probably never thought that his simple act of faith would change American history.
But thanks to the dogged determination of this U.S. Marine-turned-football-coach, you, me and every American are witnessing an astonishing comeback for religious liberty. This is a moment in history that’s shaping the future of religious freedom.
And, in many ways, it all started with a simple commitment to pray.
After serving in the military for more than 20 years, Coach Kennedy returned to his hometown of Bremerton, Washington. In 2008, he was offered an opportunity to be a coach for the high school football team. He said “Yes” and made a personal commitment to God: win or lose, he would take a knee after every game to pray for his team and thank God.
Exercising his right to religious freedom got Coach Joe fired from his job, which led to a prolonged legal battle against the Bremerton School District. With First Liberty at his side, Coach Joe took his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court—twice, in fact.
In 2022, Coach Joe’s perseverance paid off. He won his case. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in his favor, affirming his constitutional right to take a knee in quiet prayer on the 50-yard line after games – where every student could see.
But we knew the victory would go far beyond protecting the prayers of one coach. Kennedy v. Bremerton School District is a landmark decision that protects religious liberty for millions of Americans. It overturned a bad legal test that suppressed religious freedom for decades. The Kennedy victory set a major precedent that government cannot censor private religious expression.
Today, the fruit of that win is being multiplied all across the country. A seismic change in the law is happening. With restored protections, Americans have more freedom under the law than we’ve had in more than 50 years to boldly live out their faith. Thanks to Kennedy, the days when the law forced faith to be hidden are gone.
“The Kennedy decision—combined with several other First Liberty victories at the Supreme Court in recent years—are transforming the law to be more favorable to the free exercise of religion, just as our Founders intended,” says First Liberty President, CEO & Chief Counsel Kelly Shackelford.
“As an attorney who’s been fighting for religious freedom for over 30 years, I believe we’re at the start of the biggest legal and cultural shift for religious freedom we’ve seen in our lifetime,” Shackelford adds. “Something truly special is happening that could possibly ignite a major revival for faith in our nation.”
The ripple effect is undeniable. Religious symbols and monuments that were taken down are now being restored. Prayer is returning to public schools. States are passing laws to strengthen religious liberty protections for their citizens. Courts are deciding religious freedom cases according to history and tradition, as well as correcting many wrongs that previous bad precedents caused to religious expression. Lawbooks and law school courses are being updated to reflect the Kennedy precedent.
Look at the restoration of faith that’s unfolding in many states right now.
The Kentucky Legislature recently passed legislation that returns a historic Ten Commandments monument to the state Capitol. That display was removed temporarily in the 1980s for construction but later blocked from reinstallation by a court order. Why? Because the courts were relying on those bad precedents that the decision in Kennedy did away with.
Texas is also taking action to restore religious liberty where it rightfully and legally belongs.
The Texas Senate recently passed SB 10, legislation that would require the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. It also passed SB 11, which would allow schools to designate time during the school day for prayer and Bible reading. Those are follow-ups to a law passed in 2023 giving public school districts the option to allow chaplains to serve as counselors in their schools.
When SB10 and SB 11 were introduced, lawmakers specifically cited the Kennedy ruling. Coach Kennedy even traveled to Austin and testified in favor of the bills.
“Players, coaches, principals, superintendents, lunch ladies and many more people don’t have the opportunity to have a moment of prayer in public school,” Coach Kennedy told the Senate Committee on Education. “The opportunity for people to pray and see the Ten Commandments, these are the fundamentals that we’ve had since the beginning of our country.”
Many more states are currently considering similar bills to protect religious expression in public schools and strengthen religious liberty protections.
Ten Commandments & Bible Reading in Public Schools
In God We Trust in Public Schools
Volunteer Chaplains in Schools
Religious Freedom Restoration Act
That list only includes examples of what’s taking place in 2025. But the fact is, the Kennedy ruling has been making waves of impact for years.
2023 was a huge comeback year for religious freedom in America’s schools. First Liberty documented a multitude of states (Kentucky, Montana, Alabama, Idaho, Massachusetts, Texas and Florida to name a few) that passed laws to protect religious freedom for students, teachers, coaches and all public employees.
That momentum carried over to 2024. More than a dozen states—including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia—took legislative action to more robustly protect religious liberty and restore historic, religious displays on public property.
Without the Kennedy decision, this incredible restoration of faith and religious freedom would not be happening. Yet, all of these changes will be under attack, as we have already seen with the new Ten Commandments law in Louisiana being challenged in court by the ACLU.
Looking back on Coach Kennedy’s journey, it’s clear how the adversities he faced—from a tumultuous childhood to fighting on the frontlines of war in the Middle East—prepared him to take an unwavering stand for his constitutional rights, as well as for the rights of all Americans.
And this is the essential key to that victory: Coach Kennedy was never alone in this fight. He had Americans like YOU right there in his corner.
You faithfully supported, prayed and encouraged Coach Kennedy and First Liberty throughout an intense legal battle, from start to finish. You share in this victory. It’s as if your name is right there alongside Coach Kennedy on the final decision. You are part of why religious freedom, and our country, are headed in a better direction.
The Battle for Religious Freedom Isn’t Over
While there is much to celebrate, the fight for religious freedom in America is far from over. In fact, the new attacks have already begun.
While our Supreme Court win opened the door of opportunity, our opponents are relentless. Many of these groups are incredibly well-funded—and you can be sure their attacks will not stop anytime soon. This is a fight that will only intensify.
We’ve opened up great opportunities to restore faith. Now, each effort to advance will be met with resistance and lawsuits.
First Liberty is fighting dozens of cases on multiple fronts to make sure that the victories we secured can continue to have impact—and that means we need your continued support.
Please give to First Liberty today. Your gift is essential in this fight—it’s the difference maker that will help us win more cases and secure the blessings of liberty for our children and grandchildren.
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