Varsity football coach resigns after being told he could not initiate/participate in team prayers
Marcus Borden had been head varsity football coach at East Brunswick High School (EBSH) in New Jersey for 23 years until he abruptly resigned after being told by school officials that he could no longer initiate or participate in team prayers. The tradition of pre-game prayer led by the coach became an issue when several parents complained that the custom violated the separation of church and state. However, Nancy Halupka, president of EBSH's football boosters club, insists that the parents who complained do not have sons on the team. School district spokeswoman Trish LaDuca refuses to divulge the names or affiliation of those parents who complained but says it was a number of people, not a single individual or group. Ms. LaDuca indicates that the district's refusal to sanction the team prayer had to do with the fact that Mr. Borden was initiating and participating in the prayer. "Certainly students have a constitutional right to engage in prayer on school property, at a school event and even during the course of the school day," she says. "(But) it has to be student-initiated. A representative of the school district cannot constitutionally initiate prayer, encourage it or lead it. Representatives of the school cannot participate in the student-initiated prayer." However, Monica Simons, communications director of the boosters club, claims that school officials prevented players from praying before a pre-game meal. "Our sons' constitutional right was taken away," she charges. "They wanted to pray and they were told not to, to sit down." After sitting out one game, Mr. Borden rescinded his resignation and has rejoined the team as head coach. He emphasizes that he is not compromising his beliefs, but will adhere to school board guidelines and leave the room before games to allow the players to decide whether to pray.
Home News TribuneBy Greg Tufaro
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