Bowden accused of imposing religious beliefs on players ACLU wants Clemson to stop coach's annual team trip to local church
The American Civil Liberties Union has accused Clemson head football coach Tommy Bowden of abusing his authority by imposing his religious beliefs on his players, and it has asked the university to discontinue the coach?s practice of strongly recommending players to participate in an annual team visit to a local church.
The university on Wednesday denied the ACLU?s claim that Bowden, who is a state employee in a supervisory position, has violated the players? constitutional rights of separation of church and state.
The coach used publicly owned team buses to transport the team to the church this past August but will no longer be allowed to do so, school spokeswoman Cathy Sams said. "From our standpoint, this has been resolved for several months."
Neil Caesar, vice president of the South Carolina chapter of the ACLU, said the organization plans to press the issue. "The ball?s in our court," Caesar said. "We just need to figure out what our response is going to be." Advertisement
University president James Barker was out of town today and wasn?t available to comment, Sams said. Bowden was out of town and unavailable for comment, Clemson sports information director Tim Bourret said.
The ACLU filed a complaint with the university on Aug. 31. The complaint refers to comments Bowden made in The Greenville News in May in which the coach describes how he annually holds a "church day" for everyone on the roster and how one player?s mother asked her son to be excused from the trip.
Bowden, who frequently refers to his Christian faith publicly, said in The News that the player?s absence was "OK" and that "there?s no intent to make anyone feel uncomfortable or awkward."
Caesar said that Bowden "has abused his authority as Clemson University?s head football coach by imposing his strong personal religious beliefs upon student-athletes under his charge" and that the coach has created a situation wherein a player must "opt-out" of something that is being billed as voluntary, bringing undue attention to that player?s "apostasy."
Caesar questioned whether it would be acceptable if a Jewish or Muslim coach created an annual visit to a temple or mosque that players had to request to be excused from.
In a July letter to players? parents, Bowden expresses his Christian faith and his belief that "a young man?s spiritual growth should be addressed, but done so in a very personal and private way."
The coach explains in the letter that "having said this, I strongly recommend attendance at a local church once per year as a team." In the letter, he instructs parents to call him if "this creates a concern for either you or your son."
In Clemson?s Sept. 21 response to the ACLU?s request to discontinue the church visit, university general counsel Clayton Steadman said "we decline to take this action and do not believe it is warranted."
The response cites Bowden?s letter to parents and states that "the voluntary nature of the event is made very clear to students and their parents." The university?s response points out that players have declined to participate in the past and none have been penalized.
The university didn?t receive any complaints it was aware of from players or parents, Sams said today.
Steve Lowe, president of the ACLU?s Piedmont chapter, said today that the ACLU didn?t receive any complaints from players or parents but looked into the issue after ACLU board members raised concerns.
Caesar said on Wednesday that while the university "does seem to be taking this seriously," the ACLU still believes that Bowden is violating players? rights.
"A person who doesn?t want to do it has to actively take steps to opt out of it," Caesar said. "It?s not voluntary. It?s something you have to get out of."
He said that "Coach Bowden or anybody is allowed to be religious or express their religious preferences. How and when it might be done with student-athletes is an area that is kind of subtle and kind of nuanced and needs to be approached from that perspective."
