A middle Tennessee school district is responding to a formal complaint filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) after a photo of a baptism on the Springfield High School football field appeared on a coach’s personal social media account.
The Tennessean reports the non-profit atheist group wrote a letter to the district telling them the high school’s coaches must stop promoting and endorsing religion to students. They also accused the district of violating the U.S. Constitution when they allowed two student-athletes to be baptized on the school’s football field last month in front of teammates.
Chad Diehl serves as the team’s football “character coach” and serves as a student minister at the Bethlehem Baptist Church in Greenbrier, Tenn. He performed the two baptisms in front of the rest of the team.
Coach Jake Buttram shared a photo before the baptisms on his Twitter account, writing: “Great day for two young men being baptized in front of our team and our field. Better than winning any game or any trophy. #SptBrand.”
Great day for two young men being baptized in front of our team and our field. Better than winning any game or any trophy. #SptBrand pic.twitter.com/q0ECjRvjVb
— Jake Buttram (@tankineer1871) August 7, 2019
The tweet was also shared by Head Coach Dustin Wilson on his own Twitter account.
Robertson County Director of Schools Chris Causey confirmed to the newspaper the baptisms took place after football practice at the school on Aug. 7.
According to the FFRF, they filed the complaint on behalf of a concerned local resident, who reached out to them.
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