Jasper R-5 Superintendent Christina Hess told the Joplin Globe, district officials are conducting an investigation on the advice of legal counsel.
The foundation became aware of the pre-game prayer after it was contacted by a concerned parent.
After the Globe article was posted Tuesday night, comments immediately began and have yet to stop.
A sampling:
This is just insane. This coach should be praised for his actions not put through hell for them . so if he was reported for cussing the kids everyone would be ok with that. This world needs more people like him . keep up the good work coach .
So it's OK for professional players to kneel for oppression during the National Anthem, but illegal for children to pray for safety for themselves and others! This is a FREE COUNTRY people!
Some commenters took an opposing point of view.
I imagine you'd feel very differently if the coach were leading a prayer/blessing/etc that wasn't Christian.
We have separation of church and state for a reason. anyone can pray anytime they want. it doesn't have to be a group prayer run by the teacher. grow up people.
Coaches can’t lead prayer before school activities because of a little thing called the First Amendment. Ever heard of it?
Religion should not be practiced in school by people who's salaries are paid with tax dollars. Absolutely no tolerance.
I stand with Joey Ballard III!!! We used to pray before EVERY basketball & soccer game or scrimmage I ever played in in HS!!! Why is this a thing??!!
Ballard's personal Facebook page was inundated with messages from supporters, many accompanied by the memes that are shown, including the following:
Nothing to be ashamed of you doing great things sir!!!
Pray for our school and Coach Joey Ballard III
We have some of the BEST Coaches at Jasper this year!!!! We support Joey Ballard III!
Thank you Joey Ballard III for setting a great example for our boys.. Don’t let the devil kill your spirit. This too shall pass.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release Tuesday.
Missouri high school’s coaching staff is repeatedly violating the Constitution by organizing regular prayers with the athletes, asserts the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Joey Ballard, head coach for Jasper High School’s boys football team, regularly leads team prayer, a concerned parent of a player has informed the state/church watchdog. During these prayers, student-players have gathered around Ballard on bended knee, with additional coaching staff surrounding the students while Ballard has given a Christian prayer and then led the students in reciting the Lord’s Prayer.
It is illegal for public school athletic coaches to lead their teams in prayer, FFRF reminds the school district.
“The Supreme Court has continually struck down school-sponsored prayer in public schools,” FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line writes to Jasper R-5 School District Superintendent Christina Hess. “Public school coaches must refrain not only from leading prayers themselves, but also from participating in students’ prayers.”
In a case directly pertinent to the situation, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that a high school football coach’s history of organizing, leading and participating in prayers before games was unconstitutional because it violated the Establishment Clause (Borden, 2008). The court stated that the coach’s involvement in the prayer by “taking a knee” and “bowing his head,” even when the prayer was student-led, “would lead a reasonable observer to conclude he was endorsing religion.”
Head Coach Joey Ballard’s conduct is unconstitutional because he endorses and promotes his religion when acting in his official capacity as a school district employee, as do the other coaches when they participate in these prayers, FFRF contends. They represent the school and the team when acting in their official roles as coaches of the Jasper High School boys football team. Therefore, they cannot lead the team in prayer, participate in prayers with students or organize or advocate for students to lead team prayer.
“The Jasper High School coaching staff is violating students’ right of conscience in regularly holding Christian prayer,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “No one should have to pray to play.”
FFRF is asking Jasper R-5 School District to commence an investigation into the complaint and take immediate action to stop any and all school-sponsored prayers occurring within any district athletic programs.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with more than 33,000 members across the country, including over 400 members in Missouri. Its purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
Missouri high school’s coaching staff is repeatedly violating the Constitution by organizing regular prayers with the athletes, asserts the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Joey Ballard, head coach for Jasper High School’s boys football team, regularly leads team prayer, a concerned parent of a player has informed the state/church watchdog. During these prayers, student-players have gathered around Ballard on bended knee, with additional coaching staff surrounding the students while Ballard has given a Christian prayer and then led the students in reciting the Lord’s Prayer.
It is illegal for public school athletic coaches to lead their teams in prayer, FFRF reminds the school district.
“The Supreme Court has continually struck down school-sponsored prayer in public schools,” FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line writes to Jasper R-5 School District Superintendent Christina Hess. “Public school coaches must refrain not only from leading prayers themselves, but also from participating in students’ prayers.”
In a case directly pertinent to the situation, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that a high school football coach’s history of organizing, leading and participating in prayers before games was unconstitutional because it violated the Establishment Clause (Borden, 2008). The court stated that the coach’s involvement in the prayer by “taking a knee” and “bowing his head,” even when the prayer was student-led, “would lead a reasonable observer to conclude he was endorsing religion.”
Head Coach Joey Ballard’s conduct is unconstitutional because he endorses and promotes his religion when acting in his official capacity as a school district employee, as do the other coaches when they participate in these prayers, FFRF contends. They represent the school and the team when acting in their official roles as coaches of the Jasper High School boys football team. Therefore, they cannot lead the team in prayer, participate in prayers with students or organize or advocate for students to lead team prayer.
“The Jasper High School coaching staff is violating students’ right of conscience in regularly holding Christian prayer,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “No one should have to pray to play.”
FFRF is asking Jasper R-5 School District to commence an investigation into the complaint and take immediate action to stop any and all school-sponsored prayers occurring within any district athletic programs.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with more than 33,000 members across the country, including over 400 members in Missouri. Its purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
(The accompanying video is from the locker room prior to Ballard's first game as Jasper High School coach.)
12 comments:
I support Joey Ballard III - He is being told to deny Jesus before man. Because the world is forever changing does not mean Jesus changes. This type of situation will never stop until we are one nation under God!
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever
Matthew 10:33
But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:32
So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven
That’s fine to rally behind him as long as they understand that they will be paying attorney fees of the petitioner, when not if, they lose this case. I doubt they will exceed six figures which taxpayers will be responsible for paying, but if the coach continues to disregard state and local laws with continued praying, then that’s willful disregard and subject to millions in an award that the taxpayers will pay for as well. Stupid is as stupid does—-
Praying Quietly
Mark 1:35
In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.
Matthew 6:1
Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 6:5-6 New International Version
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
I’ll tell you why religion is not a scam, in my opinion: tide goes in, tide goes out. Never a miscommunication. You can’t explain that.
There would be no problems in our community if there hadn't been videos posted by a certain ranking member in our community. Our Police Chief shouldn't ever use his cell phone to post ANYTHING controversial or to try and pat his own back.
"Freedom FROM Religion", I seem to remember our Constitution states, Freedom OF Religion. More commie dreck trickling down from the Warren court.
I’m fine with the prayers, as long as it’s the same religion I believe in.
1:26 doesn't understand that not everybody believes in the same god, or any god.
Plenty of people in SWMO are smart enough to know that the bible says some religions are more equal than others!
Democrats must be behind this...
I would bet good money that everyone would have the exact opposite opinion if the coach had done a Hindo or Muslim prayer. The constitution does guarantee the right to freedom of religion and this is a prime example of that. The coach is free to believe how he wants and free to express that how he wants, but when he is working as an agent of a government body(school teacher) in control of minors(students), then the constitutional protections are in place for the students, not the coach.
Now before everyone attacks me I am not against prayer I am just against people not understanding the constitution. In my high school we just had a student from the FCA lead the pregame prayer that way it was not a constitutional violation.
Democrats must be behind this...
Yep, they're the ones that support religious freedom and keeping the government out of religion. Parents, not random school officials, get to raise their children with regard to religion.
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