of boston violated the free speech rights of this group when they denied their application to fly their particular flag on one of three flag poles outside of city hall. the city said if they i papprov it, it would result in support of religion. but the property said because they have one of their flag poles to let outside groups flag their flag, all 284 groups that applied to raise their flag, it was granted except this one religious group. so in part because of that, the justices here unanimously ruling that this flagpole, it want government speech, it wasn t government-controlled property necessarily that would indicate the government e s view. this was a public forum and this flag should have been flied. this was a 9-0 unanimous decision. of course we re entering this crucial period now in the supreme court s term.
not a ruling based on freedom of religion, however. this is based on free speech. pretty much consistent with what the supreme court has said in the past. if it was the government speech, if it was strictly boston s expression, then yes, the city could say who gets to fly the flag, and who doesn t. for example, the supreme court has said that the legends, the sayings that go on license plates, that s government speech, and the city can discriminate there, or the state can, but this is not, this is a public forum, the city created a public forum, open to all comers so it couldn t discriminate on the basis of viewpoint, jose. this is a 9-0 decision you say. exactly. unanimous. pete williams, thank you. you bet. still ahead, the unexpected and often deadly consequences of former president trump s raising the border wall in part of california. plus, could new mexico brace for worsening condition, as wildfires there explode over the weekend? we ll talk to a new mexico
was engaging in unprotected government speech, coercing others, and if it was not government speech, does it still pose a problem under the first amendment s establishment clause? joining us now is the fired coach joe kennedy along with his attorney. joe, did you ever think this prayer would put you in the middle of a fight for religious liberty at the court? no, absolutely not. the farthest thing away. i thought i would eventually one day retire, known as a good coach and that was it. laura: i know justice sotomayor or at one point said something like what if like a hypothetical that was totally bogus. she said well, i guess, oh, we have the audio. why can t the school fire a coach who decides to put a nazi
justice gorsuch questioning the school s policy against display of faith pie staff members. i want to make sure i understand the school policy. it appears teachers are forbidden from encouraging or discouraging private student prayer, is that right? yes, justice. coach was forbidden from discouraging private student pray sner absolutely. todd: yesterday joe kennedy discussed what it was like having to choose between the job he loved and his faith. eventually retire after being known as a good coach. i never felt anything like that before and i hope anybody in america has to face that again. todd: the high court focusing on whether kennedy s prayers after games engaged in unprotected government speech. republicans and democrats want president biden to wake up and
in view of students was engaging in unprotected government speech, coercing others. and if it was not government speech, does it still pose a problem? one of the first amendment s establishment clause. joining us now fired coach joe kennedy along with his attorney kelly shackelford, president and ceo of first liberty institute. joe , did you ever think this 10 15 second prayer would put you in the middle of a fight for religious liberty at the court? not part of thing away from it thought it would just, you know, eventually one day retire just to be known as a good coach . and that was it. kelly, i know justice sotomayor at one point said something like, well, what if it was like a hypothetical that was totally bogus? she said, well, i guess we have the or we have the audio, we ll play it. why can t the school fire a