Coach Gary Weiss says school district fired him for not stopping team prayers
An Arizona public school football coach says the district threatened him to stop praying before and after games and later terminated his employment for now suppressing the kids’ prayer time.
Gary Weiss told his story to KVOA-TV, detailing the school district’s attempts to stop players at Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, Arizona from praying. He says his refusal to intervene led to his termination.
“My concern is the rights of the kids to do what is their right to do,” Weiss told Channel 4.
The district says voluntary prayer is permitted, but staff and employees cannot facilitate or promote the prayer time. Coach Weiss denies the he did this, saying that no adults led the invocations and they were inclusive.
“The prayers of the freshmen team have been recited by Muslim kids, Jewish kids, and Christian kids,” Weiss told KVOA-TV.
He is reportedly no longer permitted on school property, asked to leave when he show up at a practice.
The Blaze noted the reactions to the termination on social media, with former students and others lambasting the district’s decision.
Wow, can’t believe a school would do this. My prayers go out to one of my former coaches, Gary Weiss http://t.co/7Atenu4fzv -— Ryan Penny (@ryanpenny6) September 16, 2014
@dhaines71 this is pathetic..Gary Weiss is an amazing coach and an even better man, changed my life…foothills dropped the ball on this one — Cameron Dwan (@CameronDwan) September 16, 2014
Catalina Foothills should be ashamed! MANY suffer as a result of decision by a FEW narrow minded administrators! http://t.co/6POyFUjInS — Doug Haines- (@dhaines71) September 16, 2014
School District fired a coach for not stopping his players from praying?
Praying Hands (Betende Hände) by Albrecht Dürer
Dear Mr. Jones, sounds like No Christians No Conservatives allowed in Catalina Foothills. What a great name, Catalina Foothills….sounds beautiful. I inadvertently found this story yesterday while searching for photos of football players kneeling for prayer. Not by coincidence either. Police Officer Brandon (also) 🙂 Tatum from the Tucson Police Department made news when he became a Trump supporter after attending a Trump Rally and saw how “INTOLERANT” the agitators were at the Rally. This morning, Betty & Jorge Rivas from Sammy’s Mexican Grill was on Fox News telling how they were harassed and threatened by some more agitators to ruin their business. Great story actually. Mr Trump tweeted words of encouragement and asked everyone go and support them. The couple had to put a sign up that there was no more food, because the support was so OVERWHELMING! Isn’t that great? Greater is HE that is With US, than he who is in the world. PS that’s not my real email address. I had a stalker. I don’t post. God Bless You. Stand Strong. G