Atheist group demands Missouri high school's football coaches stop praying with players

The Freedom From Religion Foundation demanded that officials of a high school in Missouri stop their football coaches from praying with players after receiving a complaint from someone in the community.

The FFRF sent the two-page letter to school officials of the Cameron School District.

"It is our understanding that Cameron High school's head football coach, Jeff Wallace, and assistant coach, David Stucky, have been holding religious 'chapel' services for players before and after football games where coaches pray with players and read and discuss bible verses," the letter read.

"We understand that after games, Coach Wallace holds religious services with players on the fifty-yard line and leads players in prayer," the letter continued. "We understand that Coach Wallace often brings in outside preachers to proselytize to players as well."

The FFRF complained that it was illegal "for public school athletic coaches to lead their teams in prayer or religious worship," and cited several court rulings that supported its contention.

The organization went on to demand that the school conduct an investigation and immediately cease all prayers by the coaches with the students.

It appeared that the football team changed its prayer habit after the demands from the FFRF, and instead of being planned by coaches, the students led in a moment of silence.

The same group forced Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City to stop allowing a local pastor to lead the football team in prayer.

"Religion is divisive and has no place in a football team locker room," FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor said in a statement in March 2018.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation says it represents 30,000 members across the country, and 400 in Missouri.

Here's video of student-led prayer at the school:

Dragons' postgame prayeryoutu.be