Prayer by Christian Schools Banned at Football State Championship
Prayer has been banned from football games in Christian schools in Orlando and Tampa as ordered by the Florida State High School Athletic Association.
Cambridge Christian School from Tampa will square off with University Christian from Jacksonville for their State Championship at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando on Friday. Both schools previously agreed to say a prayer before the game over loud speakers, but Dr. Roger Dearing, the head of the athletic association, ruled in an email that prayer circles involving football team members, fans, and coaches will not be allowed, according to 10 News WTSP.
Although the two Christian schools approved of the pre-game prayer, the athletic association ruled against it because the venue of the game is predominantly supported by tax dollars. In addition, the Florida State High School Athletic Association is a state organization, the report explains.
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However, Cambridge Christian Schools's head, Tim Euler, questioned the ruling and said it makes no sense.
"Florida State Legislature is opened up with prayer in a building that is paid by tax dollars. What is the difference?" Euler told 10 News. "If they can pray there, we can pray here… So I think his reasoning is flawed at the core of it."
Meanwhile, the two Christian schools had no time to appeal the ruling or to open a discussion. On Friday, the State Championship kicked off without a pre-game prayer broadcast via loud speakers, First Coast News reports.
In a follow-up report by 10 News, the football players still went on with their pre-game prayers using only their voices. They recited the Lord's prayer together. The parents and fans in the audience all prayed with them silently.
For Bobby Lattimore of Tampa, the prayer circle is a normal occurrence for the two schools because they are Christian institutions. He added that the players have already adopted the practice of praying. The game ended 61-16 with University Christian as the winner. This is the school's eighth state title.
