Hey! Someone Got It Right!

This is the correct separation of church and state.

ATLANTA — A federal judge on Monday denied an appeal for reinstatement by a University of Georgia cheerleading coach accused of mingling religion with team activities. Marilou Braswell was fired in August, according to university officials, for retaliating against a Jewish cheerleader who had complained about pressure to participate in Bible study and team prayers.

The case has drawn attention to sports in Georgia, where coaches often lead players in prayer or worship.

In spring of 2003, the student, Jaclyn Steele, approached authorities with complaints about the cheerleading program. Cheerleaders, she said, were pressured to attend Bible study sessions at the coach’s home, led by her husband, a minister. Steele also said Braswell led prayers before sporting events. And Steele complained that the listserv used by cheerleaders was a vehicle for prayer requests.

Here’s what’s important to note. First, the “church” in question here is specific – the coach’s minister husband led Bible studies which, one can only assume (though we really don’t know for sure), weren’t non-sectarian. Second, the coach retaliated against the student for not participating in these events.

The prayers aren’t a big deal, according to the Constitution, unless they were specific to one particular religion.

The listserv. Well, you can read it or not, filter messages or not. You participate in it voluntarily and read what you wish to read. Nothing wrong there.

But some don’t quite have the message right. Separation of religion and state is not Constitutionally mandated nor as it even been specifically prohibited by the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, we’re given this pretty faulty message nearly every day. But the Contitution is pretty plain about the role of government and religion and this coach was dead flat wrong in what she did. The college and the judge made exactly the right decision.

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Category: The Good Old US of A