After complaint of coach's prayer, Rockvale students plan group prayer before Friday game

Brinley Hineman
Murfreesboro Daily News Journal

Following a complaint filed against Rockvale High School football coach Rick Rice for leading the team in a post-game prayer, students have announced their plans to host a prayer before Friday's game.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a complaint last week after receiving a tip from a concerned parent about Rice leading the team in prayer after the Aug. 30 game against Franklin County. Chris Line, a staff attorney with FFRF, said in a phone call Monday that the complainant's name was confidential. 

After learning of the complaint against the coach, Rockvale students Madison Nowacki and La'Naya Nelson announced plans to host a group prayer at 6:30 p.m. on the track before the Rockets face off against the Oakland Patriots Friday night. 

"We have been talking about wanting to pray with our team for a while, but we were scared at first," Nowacki said Tuesday. "After the complaint, we thought we should voice our opinions as well and stand with our coach."

Rockvale football coach Rick Rice.

The FFRF called Rice's prayer unconstitutional and asked the Rutherford County Board of Education to investigate the matter. Contacted by phone Monday, Rice apologized for leading the prayer and said he didn't mean to offend anyone. He said he led two prayers this season and that a student led a prayer at another game. 

"I believe that the complaint was very unnecessary and it upsets me to see it," Nowacki said. "Coach Rice is an amazing, outgoing and hardworking coach. ... It was a prayer to heal the boys, and make sure they stayed strong."

Nowacki said she and Nelson have a brother playing football for Rockvale. 

"Those are our friends on the field, and with the guidance of God we believe they will make it out and play harder, smarter and stronger," she said.

The Rockvale senior said she has received "very high spirited" support after announcing the group prayer. 

FFRF have filed complaints in Tennessee before

The FFRF is the same organization that lodged a complaint in Robertson County accusing educators of violating the U.S. Constitution by allowing two student-athletes to be baptized on the school’s football field last month. The baptisms took place in front of teammates after practice.

Robertson County Director of Schools Chris Causey said the baptisms were initiated and led by students and that no school personnel were involved.

The FFRF is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, but the nonprofit’s website lists an East Tennessee chapter in Knoxville. 

Line said by phone Monday that the foundation has filed at least two complaints in Rutherford County before: At Siegel High School in 2015 and at Oakland Middle School in 2016, both involving prayer at sporting events. 

The U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly struck down school-sponsored prayer in public schools. In 1990, the court declared a public school employee participating in a student-led prayer or other religious activity is unconstitutional. Similarly, federal courts have ruled a coach's silent participation in a student prayer to be unconstitutional.

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Cecil Joyce contributed to this report. 

Should prayer at public school events be allowed? Reach Brinley Hineman at bhineman@gannett.com and on Twitter @brinleyhineman.