Bill Mensing: For public schools, praying before games is unconstitutional
I am writing regarding the Beyer High School football coach leading his players, and opposing team’s players, in prayer after football games (“Beyer kneels in prayer, not protest, with its opponents,” Page 2B, Sept. 27). Though it is admirable that the coach is encouraging people to come together, this activity is clearly in violation of the First Amendment of The Constitution, which prohibits the government, including a public school representative, from the “establishment,” or participation, in religion. The founders of our country understood the danger of government involvement in religion and created a separation of church and state.
Even though this prayer participation is apparently voluntary, the school’s representative, the coach, has a position of authority, and, leading a possibly Christian-based prayer is exclusionary to believers of other faiths, or non-believers.
Bill Mensing, Modesto
This story was originally published October 2, 2017 at 2:25 PM with the headline "Bill Mensing: For public schools, praying before games is unconstitutional."