Group says BA football team’s baptism violates First Amendment

A Wisconsin-based group called the Freedom from Religion Foundation is crying foul, after the Broken Arrow High School football team appeared to hold a baptism for several team members and a coach after a recent practice on school grounds.

It’s not clear how the group even found out about it, but a student director from Battle Creek Church and a youth pastor at Life.Church both apparently posted videos of it on Facebook.

One Facebook post says 16 student players were baptized, along with one coach.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation wrote a letter to Superintendent Janet Vinson, saying the baptism was a school-sponsored religious exercise, that courts have consistently ruled unconstitutional.

The foundation’s website lists numerous occasions where it has taken legal action against a wide-variety of government entities.

A Broken Arrow school spokesperson said they were checking with the school’s athletic director about the situation and would respond later.

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