Coach resigns after high school bans pregame prayer

bevinsville_bomber · 10-12-2005, 03:28 PM

Quote: Coach resigns after high school bans pregame prayer

Associated Press

EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. -- A veteran central New Jersey high school football coach has resigned after being told by school officials he could no longer lead his team in pregame prayer.

East Brunswick coach Marcus Borden was told last Friday by Schools Superintendent Jo Ann Magistro that some parents had complained about prayers Borden initiated at pregame meals and before the games.

After being told he would have to stop leading or taking part in the prayers, Borden stepped down from his position, just hours before his team's 21-0 loss to Sayreville that evening.

"I'm very disappointed," Borden said in an interview with News 12 New Jersey Tuesday. "Do I feel we were violating someone's rights? I don't think so."

But East Brunswick school officials think differently. According to school officials, the prayers violated the separation between church and state in public schools.

A spokeswoman for the district, Trish LaDuca, said students have the right to pray on school property during school events, but the prayer must be initiated by the students; otherwise it violates the law.

"A representative of the school district cannot constitutionally initiate prayer, encourage it or lead it," LaDuca told the Home News Tribune of East Brunswick. "Representatives of the school cannot participate in the student-initiated prayer."

During the television interview, aired Tuesday, Borden said what he was doing was not uncommon, and coaches across the state lead similar prayers as part of sporting events.

"I'm not out preaching, I'm not a preacher," said Borden, who has led the football program for 23 years. He has a 116-100-1 career record, and his team won the Central Jersey Group IV championship in 2004.

He is the founder of the Snapple Bowl, a charity all-star football game that has raised more than $150,000 for physically and mentally impaired children.

His resignation has divided the school community, with many students and parents supporting the coach.

On Saturday, a group of more than 50 members of the football team and some of their parents traveled to Borden's home and asked the coach to return.

Nancy Halupka, president of the school's football booster club, said she sympathizes with Borden and said the prayer tradition started long before he arrived at the school.

But school officials, who emphasized that they did not force Borden to resign, said some students felt uncomfortable with the prayer and their concerns should be treated with respect.

Magistro, the district's superintendent, said Borden's resignation won't become official until the school board meets on Oct. 20. She said the former coach can rescind his resignation at any time before the meeting, something Borden said was not likely.

"I believe that I made the right decision," said Borden, a Catholic. "I believe I made a decision based on principle. I believe that's who I am."

Borden could not immediately be reached for comment by The Associated Press Tuesday evening. There is no telephone listing in his name.

This is absolutely ridiculous. It's a shame on what our society has come to with some of the idiots in the world. I have a lot of admiration for the head coach and his beliefs, but don't know if I'd leave the team during midseason. Thoughts?

MOJO · 10-12-2005, 04:19 PM

I commend the coach for standing for what he believes in, although I do believe it's drastic. Drastic measures calls for drastic action, maybe they'll rethink their ban.

**FOX SPORTS** · 10-12-2005, 06:02 PM

What a stand by the coach!
I appreciate his standing up for what is right.
I wonder how many coaches would have the guts to do this???

Bat Masterson · 10-12-2005, 06:40 PM

If he wants to make a stand, great, I applaud it. But doing it at the cost of his team wasn't the right way to go.

**crazytaxidriver** · 10-12-2005, 07:34 PM

This highly pisses me off..If the majority of the players want to join in the prayer then why should they have their right taken away because of a couple who don't "feel like it's right" or whatever..Man this is some shit.. people cry that their rights are being violated, well guess what.. the people who want to pray barely have the right to do that.. I mean if 20 people were in a room and 19 agreed to pray, then what the hell is wrong with getting together to do it? But there is always that one person who says, i'm being violated, cause i choose not to pray, and the other 19 have to give it up just because of that one person..

I don't blame this coach one bit for what he did, **** the board or whatever it is telling him he can't do it.. I swear i'm goin to write a letter to someone..

WOW · 10-12-2005, 08:56 PM

How many of your teams have prayer prior to the start of a game?

**crazytaxidriver** · 10-12-2005, 09:40 PM

I think Pike Central does, but i'm not for sure..

MR.INCREDIBLE · 10-12-2005, 10:05 PM

Belfry does

**imported_torQQue** · 10-12-2005, 10:13 PM

South Floyd does.

DTfan · 10-12-2005, 10:21 PM

I respect the coach for standing up for his belief's and I think it's stupid that he got into trouble for something that a majority of the team wanted AND for a tradition that was started before he came. It said that he coached there for 23 years...why are they just now making a deal out of it? It upsets me that people will do those to bring down or even distroy any coach for their own satisfaction. If their child was offended by the prayer they could've simply sat out for it....I wouldn't think that the coach would make it mandatory that everyone was involved.

FATMAN · 10-12-2005, 10:29 PM

magoffin co does before eating and i usally lead it

**crazytaxidriver** · 10-12-2005, 11:18 PM

Good for you Fatman.. Keep it up and don't let anyone get you down because of it..

**Tomcat68** · 10-13-2005, 12:13 AM

Ashland has prayer before meals, before games, and during halftime.
The players and coaches recite the lord's prayer before games and at halftime.

**FOX SPORTS** · 10-13-2005, 08:04 AM

Bat Masterson Wrote:If he wants to make a stand, great, I applaud it. But doing it at the cost of his team wasn't the right way to go.

Some beliefs are more important than team to some people and we must all make those choices.
The only way to stop the madness of all these "under God" and "no prayer" rulings is for someone to stand up and be counted.

eingram003 · 10-13-2005, 05:13 PM

I hope Magoffin never does anything like this.

raiders_basketball · 10-13-2005, 05:46 PM

SF has prayer b-4 every game...