Fox host: It's time to “rethink whether or not we have public schools”
Published
Citation From the April 25, 2022, edition of Fox News' Outnumbered
VIVEK RAMASWAMY (AUTHOR): I've got to separate two questions. First is is this just good for the country right now when you have a coach that's that dedicated to his school, to his players, to his cause, and just wants to express himself and pray in the field? I think it is objectively a good thing. I actually read a story over the weekend about this mental health epidemic amongst teenagers in this country. Why do we think that is? Especially at a point where we've actually gotten drug addiction and alcoholism and smoking in teens down to low levels. It's because young people, teenagers, lack a sense of purpose, lack a sense of identity, lack a cause. And it was telling to me that many of the players asked him if they could join him on the field. They're so hungry for that sense of purpose and meaning that if there is a good man, a coach, who's able to give that to them, we shouldn't penalize it. There's a legal question that's different which is to say that can he force them to do it? No, the answer's no, but can he do it if the students are voluntarily able to participate? My view, absolutely, and I think that's what the Supreme Court's going to say.
KAYLEIGH MCENANY (CO-HOST): That's it, Kennedy. This is not a case of the government compelling speech. A public sector school teacher forcing a classroom to engage in prayer. This is someone who is a government employee saying hey, I want to silently, free exercise my right to religious speech.
LISA KENNEDY MONTGOMERY (CO-HOST): Yes, and the superintendent has to prove that he was ostracizing players and, you know, not favoring them if they didn't participate. They — so far, what I have seen, they have not proven that. This will be a very important case for religious liberty, but also maybe a great time in our country's history where we rethink whether or not we have public schools. Maybe we should not have the government involved in education at all so parents and teachers and administrators can make those decisions themselves instead of having the government impose it on them because it is the public school aspect of this that is creating the legal challenge.
HARRIS FAULKNER (CO-HOST): And what do we do with the people who can't afford private? Like, what does that look like? Because each state allots some money so they would get that money, I would assume. Isn't that what Florida wanted to do?
MCENANY: You could do vouchers. That's what Florida did.
FAULKNER: Yeah, that's what Florida wanted to do.
KENNEDY: Yeah, you could have — we could entirely rethink — OK, I'll tell you why I say that. It's because the two most powerful teachers unions in the country are opposed to coach Kennedy. They are using their heft and their influence to make sure that he loses this case.