The Supreme Court has decided not to hear a case concerning a Christian school’s desire to broadcast pregame prayers at a championship football game, leaving in place a previous ruling that student-initiated prayers at such events are unconstitutional. The case stemmed from Cambridge Christian School’s request to broadcast a prayer over the stadium loudspeakers, which was denied by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), citing the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
The legal conflict dates back to 2015, when Cambridge Christian School and a Christian university sought permission for the prayer but were refused due to the stadium being a public facility. The school subsequently filed a lawsuit in 2016 claiming violation of their First Amendment rights. A federal district court ruled in favor of the FHSAA, determining that the prayer broadcast constituted government speech, thus not protected by free speech rights. This ruling was upheld by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
After the appeals court’s decision, the Florida Legislature passed a law requiring the FHSAA to allow schools to make short opening remarks during championships. However, the appeals court maintained that the FHSAA’s ban was a regulation of its own speech and upheld the original ruling, which the Supreme Court declined to revisit, thereby allowing the 25-year-old precedent to remain.
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