Jasper School District has ceased supporting praying before games

Following a parent complaint about students and faculty praying before games, the Jasper School District was instructed by their law firm, EdCounsel, to direct all school employees, including the high school football coach, “not to lead students in, or promote, prayer.” 

The matter has since been resolved. Chris Line, an attorney for the Freedom From Religion Foundation stated, “When we get a complaint like this where it’s a clear violation, I’m not looking to sue the school district and have them pay all of this money,” Line said. “The way we ideally have it work is the way that it did here. We write and say, ‘Hey, you’re violating the law. You need to stop.’ And then they look into it, see that we’re telling them that’s true, and then they come back and let us know their legal contact has ended. I want to emphasize that this is how we want these things to work.”

The First Amendment’s establishment clause prohibits the government from supporting, endorsing, or becoming too involved in religion or religious activities, which is what Coach Ballard violated.