A former highschool soccer coach in Washington state who misplaced his job after praying on the 50-year line following video games — and whose case went all of the option to the Supreme Court docket — may quickly be reinstated, courtroom paperwork obtained by CBS Information present.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court docket dominated 6-3 in favor of Joe Kennedy, an assistant coach at Bremerton Excessive College. On Tuesday, attorneys for the Bremerton College District and Kennedy each submitted a joint stipulation in U.S. district courtroom stating that he be reinstated to his former place on the soccer crew on or earlier than March 15, 2023.
The paperwork additionally state the district can't "retaliate towards or take any future hostile employment motion towards Kennedy for conduct that complies with the phrases of the courtroom's order." Moreover, Kennedy will probably be entitled to "affordable" attorneys' charges and prices, the stipulation states.
In response to the courtroom information, each events nonetheless disagree on among the wording within the doc, together with a clause which states the varsity district can't "intervene with or prohibit Kennedy from providing a prayer in step with the U.S. Supreme Court docket's opinion."
Each events will file a joint submission on Nov. 8, with both sides's proposed wording on the remaining disputed points.
Jeremy Dys, an legal professional representing Kennedy, informed CBS Information that his shopper is "excited" to get again to the job.
"For him to have the ability to get again on that discipline along with his gamers and assist them to be good males on the similar time is one thing that could be very close to and pricey to his coronary heart," Dys mentioned.
CBS Information reached out to an legal professional representing the Bremerton College District, however didn't instantly hear again.
Kennedy started praying on the sector after soccer video games in 2008, and continued the follow till 2015, when he and the Bremerton College District debated over whether or not the follow was protected below non secular expression. He was ultimately positioned on administrative depart for violating district directives to cease praying with the scholars.
Kennedy selected to not reapply for his teaching place, and sued the varsity in 2016 for violating his First Modification rights to free speech and free train of his religion. After the ninth U.S. District Court docket of Appeals dominated in favor of the varsity district, Kennedy and his authorized crew petitioned the Supreme Court docket. His case was turned down as soon as, however the justices agreed to listen to the case earlier this yr.
The courtroom's majority mentioned that the free train and free speech clauses of the First Modification protected Kennedy's prayer time, as he was a person participating in non secular expression. Following the ruling, Kennedy informed CBS Information that the choice was a "nice ruling for America."
"Individuals of religion or no religion, all people has the identical rights and that's what the Structure is all about," he mentioned in June. "It is rights for all Individuals."