The coach of a high school football team in the United States of America, Isaac Ferrell, has been sacked following his decision to coordinate an event which had a pastor baptizing 20 members of the team.
The activity was held at Tattnall County High School in Georgia. According to a statement credited to Kristen Waters, the superintendent of Tattnall County School District by WSAV, the district said it desires a football head coach whose interests matches with that of the students.
The statement read, "Based on the outcome of an investigation into an incident that occurred Friday night, November 3, while traveling after the football game, the District decided that it would seek a head football coach that aligned with the best interests of the students of Tattnall County for the 2024-2025 school year."
Waters added that investigations are ongoing and no further comments will be made on the issue.
Aside from being the football team head coach, Ferrell is also a teacher with the school. His ongoing issue with the school has got the attention of Freedom from Religion Foundation, which seeks a separation of the church from the state.
In a complaint letter sent to the school district superintendent recently, the foundation criticised the action of Ferrell, adding that baptism of students in schools should not be encouraged.
FFRF staff attorney, Christopher Line, wrote the superintendent saying, "The District (should) investigate this situation and ensure that this school-sponsored religious coercion ends immediately.
"The District must refrain from infusing its football program with religion, and Coach Ferrell cannot be allowed to preach to student athletes or allow a local pastor to preach to and baptize students.
"It is illegal for public school athletic coaches to invite or instruct others, such as pastors, to lead their team in prayer or other religious activities, including proselytizing and baptisms."
However, Ferrell got support from other people including a local resident, Latifa Johnson, whose son is a student at the high school. He was among the players who were baptized at the event. According to Johnson, she is proud of the decision of her son to be prayed for and baptized.
She said, "I was extremely proud of him because he made the decision on his own. I didn't have to hold his hand, and he did it because he wanted to do it.
"It was so sweet because you see the boys and they looked like they wanted it. You know, like everyone looked excited, from the ones I was able to see. So, I was cheering ‘thank you, God’. Yes, I was all for it."
Reacting to the issue, a Facebook user, Kutis Vaughan wrote, "We need more men like him. This coach's name is Isaac Ferrel and he was fired in Tattnal county, Georgia. Make this go viral. Schools need God and prayer back in them. In all, it stated 20 players came forward, gave their lives to Christ and were baptized. Amen to that."
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