BREMERTON — Assistant Football Coach Joe Kennedy has been holding prayers after football games on the 50-yard line.

Since then, the Bremerton School District has informed him that doing so violates school policy, which says “school staff may not indirectly encourage students to engage in religious activity (or discourage them from doing so), or even engage in action that is likely to be perceived as endorsing (or opposing) religion or religion activity,” according to Superintendent Aaron Leavell, in a letter sent to Kennedy.

However, Kennedy and his legal representation, the Liberty Institute, claim the policy violates Kennedy’s rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which “prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, and religion.”

Part of the conversation in the public has been that Kennedy has a right, under the First Amendment of the Constitution, to pray, and that anyone, of any religion, should be allowed to participate in post-game expression of their religion.

In response, the Satanic Temple of Seattle has offered to host a Satanic Invocation following the next football game, or at any subsequent football games, if requested.

“The Satanic Temple will gladly come and perform a Satanic invocation at an upcoming school event if asked by a student or staff member, unless the Bremerton school district prevents coach Kennedy from praying at this Friday’s [sic] coming football game, and/or disciplines him accordingly,” said Lilith Starr, Seattle chapter head of the Satanic Temple.

“We intend to take full advantage of the same religious forum, since the district has failed to take action on what is clearly a breach of church-state separation.”

The Satanic Temple has issued a press release, below.

“SEATTLE — In a clear breach of the separation between church and state, Bremerton High School assistant football coach Joe Kennedy continues to lead students in Christian prayer at high school football games. Kennedy has faced no consequences despite notification from the school district that his prayers are a violation of federal law as well as exclusionary and distressing to players.

The school district’s disregard for the law constitutes tacit approval of staff-led religious ceremonies at school events.

In permitting school-sponsored prayer, the district has created a de facto open forum for religious expression in accordance to the Establishment Clause of the federal constitution which prohibits the government from preferring one religion over another. Therefore, the Satanic Temple wishes to ensure their belief system has equal access to the football field.

The Satanic Temple of Seattle invites any staff or student of Bremerton High School to contact them to perform a post-game Satanic invocation Friday, Oct 30 on the Bremerton high school football field.

“Not all students are Christians, and may feel pressured to pray nonetheless when led by a school-sponsored authority figure, especially a coach. The Satanic Temple is taking steps to ensure that our faith is allowed equal representation at Bremerton High School, as required by law,” said Starr.

The Satanic Temple of Seattle will provide clergy to lead a post-game Satanic invocation on the football field for any student or school staff who requests it. “We welcome any Bremerton School District student or staff member who wishes to take advantage of this open religious forum an opportunity to embrace and practice Satanism” said Starr.

Interested Bremerton School District students and employees may contact the Satanic Temple of Seattle at satanictempleseattle@gmail.com.

The Satanic Temple is an internationally­ recognized non-theistic religion, with Chapters around the globe; its mission is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people.”

Note: The next Bremerton High School football game will be against Sequim, Thursday, Oct. 29, in Bremerton, not on Friday, Oct. 30.

[LINK: Satanic Temple of Seattle – Seattle Chapter Facebook page ]