My hometown high school football coach
has quit:
A veteran central New Jersey high school football coach has resigned after being told by school officials he could no longer lead his team in pregame prayer.
East Brunswick coach Marcus Borden was told last Friday by Schools Superintendent Jo Ann Magistro that some parents had complained about prayers Borden initiated at pregame meals and before the games.
After being told he would have to stop leading or taking part in the prayers, Borden stepped down from his position, just hours before his team's 21-0 loss to Sayreville that evening.
As expected, some in the blogosphere have been leapt to his rescue. But HWJR? (How Would Jesus Resign?) I submit to you, humble readers, that He wouldn't have.
Mo' below the fold...
As a preamble, I'll detail my personal experience with "Coach Borden". He was never my "Coach" - while the jocks were slapping each other's asses on the gridiron, I was a drummer in the marching band, perfectly content to play "Louie Louie" ad nauseum while simultaneously trying to get into the pants of the captain of the flute section. (Amanda, if you're out there, call me...)
I was fortunate enough to have Mr. Borden as my Spanish teacher. Not that he was a great teacher, but everyone on the football team took Spanish with Coach Borden because it was an easy "A". And Lord knows my GPA needed help, mas rapido.
We rarely made it into the playoffs. As football coaches go, he was a great Spanish teacher.
Fast forward to this week's happenings... After getting heat from the school board, Coach Borden quits. He's getting some support from the blogosphere:
Pre-game prayer is an American tradition. Coach Borden, I salute you.
Cafe Oregeno
Hey, at one point, owning negroes was an American tradition. But sorry, pal, times fucking change.
The East Brunswick school district has said the coach can rescind his resignation if he chooses, but Borden is sticking to his guns, saying, "I believe that I made the right decision. I believe I made a decision based on principle. I believe that's who I am."
And today, I commend him for that. Coach Borden, you are right. I wish you the best of luck.
Paul Teeple - Sportschiprs
What principle? That when things get rough, you quit? Where the fuck did Jesus say that in the Bible? Not only do you quit, but hours before a game when your team needs you? That's not principle, that's a tantrum. That's a jock in a position of authority who doesn't like being told what to do, and then quits when he can't get his way.
A man of principle would have fought. Granted, he would've lost, because it's completely inappropriate for a faculty member to initiate prayer in a public school. But he would've gone out with his head held high, not his tail between his legs.
I applaud this coach for quitting because of what he believes is right and moral. He has done would 90% of us wouldn't do, quit a job based on his convictions. [...] Right On Coach Borden, you are a Hero in my book.
Mr. Minority
There is NOTHING heroic in what he did. A heroic act involves self sacrifice in fighting for a cause. What he did was falling on his sword to AVOID a fight for his cause.
Another thing that leads me to believe this was just a case of a man who didn't get what he wants, is the fact that there was a simple solution: Let the teammates lead the prayers. The Board tried to give him this out:
A spokeswoman for the district, Trish LaDuca, said students have the right to pray on school property during school events, but the prayer must be initiated by the students; otherwise it violates the law.
"A representative of the school district cannot constitutionally initiate prayer, encourage it or lead it," LaDuca told the Home News Tribune of East Brunswick. "Representatives of the school cannot participate in the student-initiated prayer."
Coaches don't like being told what to do. The Coach is the boss of the team, and they like to be in charge. Apparently, Coach Borden believes that if he's not in charge, if he's not leading the prayers, then God just won't listen. That's arrogance, pure and simple.
I fear, though, this story will become grist for the Religious Right's mill, as the hounds are clamoring to make him a martyr, sacrificed on the altar of political correctness. According to the Home News Tribune, our local Gannet paper:
His decision has sparked a national debate over First Amendment rights. Borden has been invited to appear on CBS' "The Early Show," "Hannity & Colmes," "The O'Reilly Factor," ESPN's "Outside the Lines," "Fox News Live" and other national talk shows.
Ah, some of my favorite programs... Let the spin begin...