Catalina Foothills High School has replaced its freshmen football coach, and the reason why is a source of high controversy.
Like many school districts across the country, Catalina Foothills School District bans school employees from leading organized prayers. The district says Gary Weiss did just that, and so it fired him. Weiss - who, it should be noted, is a volunteer, so no family is going hungry over this - insists he had nothing to do with the prayers, and instead maintains he was fired for not stopping the prayers altogether.
"No other adult in the freshmen program led the kids in prayer," Weiss told KVOA-TV in Tuscson. "The prayers of the freshmen team have been recited by Muslim kids, Jewish kids, and Christian kids."
Says the superintendent: "Nothing limits the authority of the school/district to maintain order and discipline on school premises, to protect the well-being of students, and to assure that participation in such an activity is voluntary on the part of student," said District superintendent Dr. Mary Kamerzell.
Without video evidence or testimony from players, coaches and parents, this sounds like a case of he-said, she-said, where the "she" is the district superintendent and the "he" is a volunteer.