High school football coach fired for holding baptism service for 20 of his players after a practice: ‘Religious coercion’
As per a recent report, a high school football coach in Georgia was dismissed from his position following an incident where he organized a baptism service for 20 of his players on school premises last month.
The superintendent of Tattnall County High School revealed the termination of coach Isaac Ferrell after a video surfaced on the team’s official Facebook page, showcasing players undergoing baptism in a tub supervised by a local pastor named Gary Few.
In the video, Pastor Few is observed directing players one by one to sit in a sizable black tub filled with water, proceeding to perform the baptismal ritual while receiving cheers of support from surrounding teammates.
The occurrence on October 23 sparked outrage among some members of the community, with one individual eventually alerting The Freedom from Religion Foundation, a group advocating for the separation of state and church.
The foundation, labeling Ferrell’s actions as an abuse of his position and a violation of constitutional principles, called for an investigation into the matter and urged the school district to cease any form of religious coercion within the football program.
While the foundation emphasized the baptism incident, the superintendent clarified that Ferrell’s dismissal was not directly linked to it but rather stemmed from a separate occurrence following a football game on November 3.
The superintendent stated that the district would seek a new head football coach aligned with the best interests of the students based on the outcome of the investigation into the November 3 incident.
Despite being relieved of his coaching duties, Ferrell, who also serves as a teacher at the school, retains his employment at Tattnall County. However, an investigation into the baptism service remains ongoing.
Amidst the controversy, some parents of the players voiced support for Ferrell, citing his past as a Georgia Southern football player and commending him for baptizing their sons.
