A Georgia high school football coach has lost his coaching job after holding a baptism service where 20 of his players were baptized. Coach Isaac Ferrell of Tattnall County High School has been dismissed from his coaching position after a Facebook video was posted of him holding a the service for his players on October 23rd. “Yesterday after practice, Coach Ferrell gave the guys the opportunity to be baptized by Pastor Few. 20 young men made the decision,” the post said, which is on the team’s official page. The student athletes were baptized by local pastor Gary Few on school grounds.

The video apparently drew some criticism from community members, who then reached out to the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) in Wisconsin. The FFRF bills itself as a “watchdog” looking out for violations against the separation of church and state. The FFRF sent a letter to the school’s superintendent, Kristen Waters, demanding action. After describing the incident as it appears on the Facebook post, the FFRF asked that the District “investigate this situation and ensure that this school-sponsored religious coercion ends immediately.” “The District must refrain from infusing its football program with religion, and Coach Ferrell cannot be allowed to preach to student-athletes or allow a local pastor to preach to and baptize students. All coaches and staff should be instructed regarding their obligations as public school employees,” The FFRF added. The letter claimed that the baptism service violated the students’ First Amendment rights to “be free from religious indoctrination.” Although it has not been shown that the baptisms were a requirement to play on the team, the letter called student-athletes “susceptible” to coercion. “Students know that their coaches control their playing time and positions, directly affecting students’ opportunities for college scholarships and recruitment,” The FFRF wrote. 

Despite losing his coaching job, Ferrell is still a teacher at the school. A statement from Waters asserts that the firing was due to a separate incident on November 3rd. “The safety and security of our students is paramount to Tattnall County Board of Education. Based on the outcome of an investigation into an incident that occurred Friday night, November 3rd, while traveling after the football game, the District decided that it would seek a Head football coach that aligned with the best interests of the students of Tattnall County for the 2024-2025 school year,” the statement read. The district also did not comment on any “ongoing” investigations.

Parents of the athletes, however, seemed mostly supportive of the baptismal service. Latifa Johnson, whose son is a sophomore on the team, said she was proud of her son. “I was extremely proud of him because he made the decision on his own. I didn’t have to hold his hand, and he did it because he wanted to do it,” she told a local news station. “It was so sweet because you see the boys, and they looked like they wanted it. You know, like everyone looked excited, from the ones I was able to see. So was cheering, thank you, God. Yes, yes, yes. I was all for it.” The investigation of the baptism service is ongoing.