Alabama —
FFRF ensured that student-athletes in the Morgan County Schools system would not be coerced into religious baptisms by a high school baseball coach.
A community member and MCS alumnus reported that the A.P. Brewer High School baseball coach recently baptized at least one student athlete during an official practice that occurred on MCS property. A post from the official Brewer High School Baseball Facebook page included photos of the coach baptizing a student in a large tub on what appeared to be a school athletics field. The post was captioned “More than a game,” with an additional baseball emoji and a Latin cross emoji, followed by “#raisedtolife.” An additional post from a community member stated that the coaches were helping to lead student-athletes “to a deeper understanding of Christian values,” and contained an additional photo of one of the coaches baptizing a student.
“Student athletes have the First Amendment right to be free from religious indoctrination when participating in their public school’s athletics program,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to the district. “It is illegal for public school athletic coaches to lead or encourage student athletes to participate in religious activities, including baptisms.”
In a letter from the district’s legal representative, Zachary B. Roberson, FFRF learned that the district had taken corrective action to protect students’ First Amendment rights going forward. “The district has taken appropriate action to address the findings of its investigation,” Roberson wrote. “The district will ensure that baptisms or similar religious ceremonies are not performed on school property or while school employees may be perceived as acting in an official capacity.”
