OK, let us pretend there is a “separation of church and state”...
are these kids a state or a church?
By the current logic, The ACLU will argue it is the coach, not the kids, that is the state. The coach is a salaried employee of the state and is condoning, even worse participating, in the forbidden religious ritual of pregame prayer. Perhaps it could be argued that the kids are an organized forbidden prayer cell and thus the church.
It makes me wonder about islamic prayer in schools. Prayer is one of the five tenets of Islam. Ritual prayer is required several times per day. All activity must cease and the person must face Mecca and pray. How is this need met in public schools?
I visited Saudi Arabia several times and took a walk each evening to observe. At prayer time, all businesses closed. The Philippinos staffing the Domino’s Pizza shop all came out side and sat on the curb until it was over.
All businesses closed except can you guess...... the ATM’s. Those not quite so pious ran into the ATM and did some business. Robots can’t pray so I guess they are exempt.