Ga. School System Probes 'Mass Baptisms' Before Football Practice

A Georgia school district says it is investigating reports that a local high school football team took part of a mass baptism before a practice last month.

The Carroll County School System is looking into the Aug. 17 incident at Villa Rica High School after a YouTube video surfaced showing baptisms of several players and a coach at Sam McIntyre Stadium. The video was posted by First Baptist Church Villa Rica, but has since been removed, according to media reports.

According to WXIA-TV, the video also was shared by the Villa Rica Touchdown Club with the caption, “Share this with everyone. This should go viral.” The video also apparently has been taken down from that site, too.

The school system, which has come under fire for the incident, released the following statement on Tuesday:

“The Carroll County School System was made aware of a situation that took place at Villa Rica High School prior to football practice on August 17th. The District is currently looking into the specifics of this situation and will take appropriate steps to ensure all state and federal laws are followed.”

The video originally posted on the church’s YouTube channel reportedly included the following caption, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “We had the privilege of baptizing a bunch of football players and a coach on the field of Villa Rica High School! We did this right before practice! Take a look and see how God is STILL in our schools!”

The video, which has drawn national attention, shows players and the coach dunked one by one in a large tub during the baptism ceremony.

In response, Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation sent a letter to the school district urging it look into the matter.

“It is illegal for coaches to participate in religious activities with students, including prayer and baptisms. Nor can coaches allow religious leaders to gain unique access to students during school-sponsored activities. When baptisms and prayer take place directly before a team football practice, on school property, with coaches’ participation, any reasonable student would perceive these activities to be unequivocally endorsed by their school. ...

“We request that the District immediately investigate and take action to ensure there will be no further illegal religious event, including team baptism and prayer, during school-sponsored activities.”

“I can’t remember another case like this,” Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of FFRF, told WXIA, according to a Facebook post by the organization. “It’s really misusing the authority of the coach to promote his personal religious agenda… It’s forcing them to undergo a religious ritual to be accepted on a team. How are they going to cross their coach? They have no choice. It’s proselytizing, it’s coercive, and it’s not legal in our schools.”

Reaction on the touchdown club’s Facebook page has been mixed, but mostly supportive of the video and the baptisms.

One commentor said, “So proud to live in Villa Rica, and proud to call these young men who took this important step brothers in Christ! It is sad that some people are afraid of anything that has to do with Christianity. As believers, all that we can do is love these people and pray for them.

Another added, “This is Faith and I would rather see them get baptized than doing drugs, robbing people, shooting people.”

But there were detractors, too.

“It became illegal since the Constitution was written. A government employee cannot promote one religion above another,” said one poster.

“This is a disgrace. the coach and church officials illegally and unconstitutionally coerced minors into performing a religious ritual on school grounds,” said another. “Anyone who doesn’t understand how wrong that is it too ignorant to be in a position of authority over students.”

Georgia has been a lightning rod in the past for issues involving religion and public high schools.

Those included a federal lawsuit, which was dismissed in July, filed against Hall County schools after photos surfaced apparently showing coach- and teacher-led prayer at Chestatee High School. Last year, Madison County removed bible verses from a football stadium monument, and last week a Macon-area high school band dew fire for playing the hymn “Amazing Grace.”

Photo: WSB-TV