No heckler's veto of the First Amendment

Shane addresses a comment about his newsletter article about the Supreme Court decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District.

Photo by Dmitry Vechorko on Unsplash

I want to address a comment on Twitter from Laura Belin, who writes at the liberal blog Bleeding Heartland, about yesterday's newsletter featuring the Supreme Court's decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District.

"You think a coach demonstratively praying on the 50-yard line doesn't send a clear message to players that this is what the coach wants and expects from team members? It's a complete joke. He's an authority figure who fully controls their future prospects as athletes," she tweeted.

Bleeding Heartland @LauraRBelin

@shanevanderhart You think a coach demonstratively praying on the 50-yard line doesn't send a clear message to players that this is what the coach wants and expects from team members? It's a complete joke. He's an authority figure who fully controls their future prospects as athletes.

Ok, where should the line be drawn? 

Different people will have different answers to that. 

Are we comfortable with teachers and coaches bowing their heads to give thanks privately before a meal? Can teachers wear religious jewelry? Can Jewish male teachers wear a yarmulke? Can Muslim female teachers wear a hijab? Can a Muslim teacher have a sajjāda in view for their noon and afternoon prayer time during the school day? Can they even do that? Can a Christian teacher have a Bible in view on their desk for devotional reading at lunchtime?

Can a teacher even mention they go to church?

Where does one draw the line? Because there are people who are uncomfortable with any kind of religious expression.