The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), an atheist activist group based in Madison, Wisconsin, is taking a football coach to task,
claiming that he violated the First Amendment by allowing local
churches to prepare meals for team members. The organization sent a
letter to Walker County Schools in LaFayette, Georgia, demanding that
officials immediately investigate Mark Mariakis, the Ridgeland High
School coach.
While the atheists want an examination into alleged pre-game foods
that churches purportedly prepared for the players, the FFRF also
addressed claims that Coach Mariakis prayed with the football players,
used Bible verses in motivational speeches and on team shirts and took
part on the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a faith-based
organization.
According to the FFRF, a local individual complained about the food
that the teens are given on game days. The group also said that a
minister typically delivers remarks to the players that focus upon
Christianity as well — another violation that has the activists fired
up.
“Taking public school football teams to church, even for a meal, is unconstitutional,” FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel wrote in a letter to the district. “This program is an egregious violation of the Establishment Clause and must cease immediately.”
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