Buddy R. Owens: Problematic prayer

Regarding the photo with the May 19 sports article “UNC baseball faces ‘do or die’ day in play-in ACC tournament game”: Does North Carolina baseball coach Mike Fox not understand that an employee of UNC is an employee of the government? How does he not know that a government employee, faculty or staff member cannot lead students in prayer?

Band members, cheerleaders and team members, etc., are a “captive audience” and are required to be at various sports events. Their attendance is necessary, and team participation in prayer is an insult to members who are not Christian, but who is going to complain? Certainly not one of the players kneeling around the coach.

Does Fox know enough about Christian theology not to take the name of God in vain? After all, his team did lose the game.

Should the athletic department issue a statement saying the actions of its staff do not represent UNC policy, or is the reason the UNC administration had Professor Gene Nichol print a disclaimer at the end of his opinion pieces because it finds the U.S. Constitution bothersome?

This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Buddy R. Owens: Problematic prayer."