TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier, along with 17 other state attorneys general, has submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Cambridge Christian School v. Florida High School Athletic Association. The brief urges the Court to protect the constitutional right of religious expression in high school sports.
“The Constitution does not require state-sponsored hostility toward religion—especially not in a moment as meaningful as pre-game prayer,” stated Attorney General James Uthmeier. “We are urging the Court to correct this misinterpretation and ensure that students do not have to hide their faith on the playing field.”
Florida is leading a coalition supporting two Christian high schools that were denied permission to conduct a pre-game prayer over stadium loudspeakers before a state championship game. The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) cited outdated Establishment Clause precedent, specifically referencing the Supreme Court’s 2000 decision in Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe, to justify its denial.
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld FHSAA’s decision based on government speech grounds while still invoking Santa Fe. In this filing, Attorney General James Uthmeier and other states argue that Santa Fe was wrongly decided, fundamentally ahistorical, and unjustifiably hostile to religion, calling on the Supreme Court to overrule it.
Joining the amicus brief are attorneys general from Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
