Coach Joe Kennedy, who took his fight to pray after high school football games all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, was reinstated as an assistant at Bremerton (Wash.) High School. After an exhausting eight-year fight, hounded by the media, he has resigned to focus full-time on promoting religious freedom,.
Kennedy was originally fired because of his practice of saying a silent prayer on the 50-yard line after games, which turned into a professional, cultural, legal and constitutional battle played out in front of the American public and in the highest court in the land. In June 2022, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Kennedy and his First Amendment rights, and last March, the school officially reinstated him.
His resignation is effective immediately and Kennedy, who moved to Florida with his wife, Denise, not long ago, will be devoting himself to the care of an ailing family member. He cited that as one of the reasons for his decision. Kennedy recently said he has fought the good fight over the past eight years and had seen his story through.
“We have traveled around the United States,” he said. “We speak at different events.
And it seems like people are really hungry to rally behind something. People need just a little inspiration. And millions of Americans stood up alongside me. We weren’t alone in this fight from the very beginning.”
The popular football coach also said a family member had not been doing well and that this concerned him and was drawing his increasing focus.
“I believe I can best continue to advocate for constitutional freedom and religious liberty by working from outside the school system, so that is what I will do,” he said. “I will continue to work to help people understand and embrace the historic ruling at the heart of our case. As I have demonstrated, we must make a stand for what we believe,
Kennedy’s new book, “Average Joe,” from Salem Books will be released in October.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
