Soccer player says she was demoted for not joining in team prayer

By The Associated Press

12.03.01

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A junior varsity soccer player at La Cueva High School filed a complaint about pre-game prayers, contending she was discriminated against for refusing to join team prayers.

Susie Morrison's complaint to the American Civil Liberties Union led to a temporary ban on prayer at La Cueva athletic events.

Her coaches deny Morrison's allegations and say she was suspended as team captain for not participating in "dress-up days" and other activities decided on by team members. She was reinstated after two weeks.

"She did not lose her captaincy over not praying," said junior varsity girls soccer coach Daniel Patrick. "She lost it due to not fulfilling her duties as a captain."

Morrison, a junior, said in a letter to the Albuquerque Journal she was told at a practice that she was suspended as captain for not participating in team prayers before soccer games.

"My coach went on to tell me that I could not and would not be reinstated as a team captain unless I kneeled in prayer with the team before games," she said.

Patrick denied making make those comments.

"I am sorry that the school banned all prayer, as everyone has a right to practice their faith," Morrison also wrote.

"However, these 'team' prayers need to end. I am a member of the team and don't want to pray or to be penalized as I was. I believe in freedom of religion, and that belief has been my motivation."

Morrison also contends prayers were initiated by Patrick before the season's first game. Patrick and head girls soccer coach Amber Ashcraft deny that.

Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico, said prayers organized by a school official are illegal.

He said he sent a letter to La Cueva principal Jo Ann Coffee on Morrison's behalf. It led to team prayer being temporarily suspended for about a week in October while Albuquerque Public Schools officials reviewed the situation and met with Simonson and Coffee to clarify the district's policy on school prayer, which is that any prayer must be entirely student-initiated and voluntary.

Patrick said he never told players to pray and didn't always join them. He also said he had no problem with Morrison's refusal to join.

"The prayers were a team thing, something the girls wanted to do," he said.

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