Clarksville Football Coach Forced to Leave Game After Reading Bible
Sep 11, 2025 by FACT
An assistant football coach at Northwest High School, Trey Campbell, was removed from a football game last week after school officials accused him of "proselytizing" by privately reading his Bible at halftime and praying with students who voluntarily approached him.
“He was just reading to himself, and then people tried to come up to him, and he’s never gonna deny spreading the word of God. He’s never gonna do that. So he did start to share that with them,” Northwest senior Alyssa Scholma shared. “During halftime, he was called over by our principals and they told him that if he did not put his Bible down, then he had to leave.”
Campbell, who also serves as a school resource officer, was placed on paid leave following the incident. Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) released the following statement:
While it is a constitutional violation for public schools to require students to partake in prayers or other religious activity, it is not a constitutional violation for students or staff to pray privately or engage in voluntary religious activity such as reading the Bible. Coach Campbell did nothing wrong by privately reading his Bible and discussing his faith with students who asked questions. He was not “proselytizing”; he was exercising his First Amendment rights.
“My son, who’s of a different religion than [Coach Campbell], never ever felt like he was being pushed in any direction when it came to religion. A prayer was offered, and he could include himself or not include himself. It was up to him, and I’m okay with that,” one anonymous parent shared with a local news outlet.
Parents and students have pushed back against the school’s actions, with several students even bringing their Bibles to school on Monday in protest.
It’s hard to believe this clear violation of religious liberty could happen in our state. CMCSS would do well to remember Coach Kennedy’s US Supreme Court victory in a very similar case in 2023. We stand with Coach Campbell and pray for a quick and just resolution to this incident.
“He was just reading to himself, and then people tried to come up to him, and he’s never gonna deny spreading the word of God. He’s never gonna do that. So he did start to share that with them,” Northwest senior Alyssa Scholma shared. “During halftime, he was called over by our principals and they told him that if he did not put his Bible down, then he had to leave.”
Campbell, who also serves as a school resource officer, was placed on paid leave following the incident. Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) released the following statement:
CMCSS is investigating the matter. Disappointingly, a news story was published on Saturday evening without reaching out to CMCSS for comment and only presented one side. It’s my understanding that the concern was not with private prayer, but that the principal received a concern that an employee was proselytizing in their official capacity. We will investigate, and I can share more when that investigation has concluded.
While it is a constitutional violation for public schools to require students to partake in prayers or other religious activity, it is not a constitutional violation for students or staff to pray privately or engage in voluntary religious activity such as reading the Bible. Coach Campbell did nothing wrong by privately reading his Bible and discussing his faith with students who asked questions. He was not “proselytizing”; he was exercising his First Amendment rights.
“My son, who’s of a different religion than [Coach Campbell], never ever felt like he was being pushed in any direction when it came to religion. A prayer was offered, and he could include himself or not include himself. It was up to him, and I’m okay with that,” one anonymous parent shared with a local news outlet.
Parents and students have pushed back against the school’s actions, with several students even bringing their Bibles to school on Monday in protest.
It’s hard to believe this clear violation of religious liberty could happen in our state. CMCSS would do well to remember Coach Kennedy’s US Supreme Court victory in a very similar case in 2023. We stand with Coach Campbell and pray for a quick and just resolution to this incident.
