Faith
Supreme Court Declines Christian School Prayer Case
Faith Facts
- The Supreme Court refused to hear a Christian school’s case on prayer before a championship game.
- A lower court panel determined that loudspeaker prayer was government speech and not permitted at the event.
- Christian schools had requested to pray, but the athletic association denied it due to public facility regulations.
Christian schools in Florida faced a setback as their request to pray over the loudspeaker before a state championship game was declined by the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices allowed an earlier decision to stand, ruling that prayer over the loudspeaker at the event constituted government speech and could not proceed.
For Cambridge Christian School, publicly lifting up prayer before athletic contests has been a longstanding tradition. Despite both teams seeking permission, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) did not permit the prayer at the stadium, citing legal and constitutional barriers.
FHSAA’s leader voiced that, “the Citrus Bowl was a public facility, predominantly paid for with public tax dollars, making the facility ‘off limits’ under federal guidelines and precedent court cases.”
The school, represented by Christian legal advocates, brought their case to court, but both district and appellate courts found the prayer would amount to speech by the government, not individual faith expression. The appellate court acknowledged the school’s concerns but maintained that rules governing public property must be respected.
Judge Ed Carnes wrote, “we agree with the district court that the speech at issue is government speech.”
First Liberty Institute’s Jeremy Dys described the Supreme Court’s decision as disappointing, stressing that it runs counter to the freedoms protected by the First Amendment.
Florida lawmakers have responded by passing a law permitting teams to make opening remarks—including prayers—before school sporting events. Defending religious liberty and the ability to pray publicly is fundamental for many Christian families and communities across our nation.
Faithful Americans must remain vigilant in defending our right to honor God both privately and in community. Stand for freedom and pray that all public expressions of faith are preserved for future generations.