SCOTT MOONEY.

Breckinridge County High School Coach Scott Mooney saw the Moon explode all around him, when he took a number of his football players on a field trip to an evangelist church, where some of them were baptized. He has since been reviled by a mother, who said that his son was involved in something that did not have her consent, and she was threatening to sue.

The trip was private or unofficially sponsored, and it was voluntary, according to School Superintendent Janet Meeks, who attended the service and witnessed the baptisms of the students; "They didn't get anything for attending", she said. "They didn't get anything for not attending."

However, Breckinridge High School happened to be a public school, and therefore going on a religious field trip was at variance with laws governing public schools in regard to religion.

A Mr. Bill Sharp, an attorney with ACLU (the American Civil Liberties Union) of Kentucky, said the trip seemed to violate the Supreme Court's separation of church and State clause, "especially since the coach likely discussed the trip with students during practices." "The message conveyed to the students is there's an official endorsement," Sharp continued.

He went on to say that, "There's certainly a coercive element," "He's (meaning Mr. Mooney) in a position of authority." , Sharp concluded.

So, that placed Coach Mooney in hot water; but for what, really? Naturally, he was the organizer of the trip, and therefore he had the obligation to tell his students about what was involved. They have specifically been told that the "purpose of the outing was to see noted evangelist Ronnie Hill". They were in agreement to go or not to go; that was their decision to make. That was totally the responsibility of the students themselves; and also to let their parents know what Mr. Mooney was up to.

There was no objection raised or reported until the trip was over, and suddenly out of the "woodwork" came one of the mothers of the students to complain, and to tell the Courier-Journal, a local newspater, "that she is considering legal action". Preposterous, was it not?

People did what they believed in; and Coach Mooney happened to be a church going person, which the students should have known. The trip was so important to him, he even told the School Superintendent about it and invited her to come along; and she did.

In other words, he did everything in plain daylight; and those who had concealed how they felt about the trip, and did not have their voices heard in opposing it, had themselves to blame; and Coach Mooney should be exonerated from any (blame). He would win any case with a good lawyer; and he could also pursue a counter-lawsuit against anyone who brought one (lawsuit) to disturb his peace of mind, if he so chose. By the way, he has the support of the Bible Belt.