A federal appeals court has upheld a decision that the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) did not infringe upon the First Amendment rights of a Tampa Christian school when it prevented the school from offering a prayer over the public address system before a 2015 high school football championship game.

The case stems from the 2015 state championship held at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, featuring Cambridge Christian School and Jacksonville’s University Christian School. Cambridge Christian sought to deliver a prayer over the stadium loudspeaker before the game, a request that was denied by the FHSAA.

(Leesburg High School prays together before a big game. They do this before and after games and they are a public school.)

In a ruling issued by a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the court upheld a 2022 decision made by U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell. The panel concluded that the FHSAA’s decision did not violate the school’s First Amendment rights, citing the public nature of the venue and the state association’s role in organizing the event.

Although the Florida Legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis approved a law in 2023 allowing brief opening remarks, including prayers, at high school championship events, the court noted that parts of the lawsuit were rendered moot by this legislation. However, the appeals court still addressed the First Amendment claims because Cambridge Christian had sought “nominal damages” as part of its legal challenge.

The ruling underscores the ongoing debate over the role of religious expression in public school events, with the court ultimately finding that the FHSAA acted within its rights in denying the prayer request.

We want to know your thoughts. Should praying be allowed at High School football games in Florida? Should they be allowed on the PA System? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Photo Credit – Kyle Coppola and Eustis High