Georgia's Villa Rica High School broke no God rule with baptisms before football practice

A Georgia high school broke the 'no God rule' after 18 students and a football coach were involved in a mass baptism before game practice according to education officials.

Education officials launched an investigation after the First Baptist Church in Villa Rica, Georgia posted a video of the event on its website under the headline 'Take a look and see how God is STILL in our schools!' 

Anti-religious activists condemned the use of school facilities for a religious event, prompting the investigation. 

Some 18 students and a football coach were baptised during the mass ceremony in Georgia last
month  

'We had the privilege of baptizing a bunch of football players and a coach on the field of Villa Rica High School!' officials from the church First Baptist Villa Rica wrote in a caption accompanying the video

Carroll County Assistant Superintendent Terry Jones admitted that the baptism had violated school district policy.  

Federal guidelines released in February 2003 say prevent 'teachers and other public school officials' such as sports coaches from leading classes in prayers or 'religious activities'. 

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Carroll County Assistant Superintendent Terry Jones said the school district had 'no knowledge' that the event was going to happen at Villa Rica High School. 

The school is about 50 miles west of Atlanta and is one the border between Georgia and Alabama. 

In a statement, Jones said: 'The principal’s understanding was that the event was a church sponsored activity that was to be conducted after school and he was not aware of student involvement. 

'From the investigation the school district has concluded that VRHS failed to follow district facility usages procedures for outside groups using school facilities.' 

Rev Kevin Williams of the First Baptist Church in Villa Rica performed the ceremony last month before high school football practice.  

A crowd of people watch as the players and coach are submerged one by one during the baptism ceremony, a rite of initiation in many Christian churches.  

WXIA-TV reported the footage reveals 18 players and one coach were baptized.

'We had the privilege of baptizing a bunch of football players and a coach on the field of Villa Rica High School! We did this right before practice!' officials from the church First Baptist Villa Rica wrote in a caption accompanying the video on YouTube, according to WXIA-TV. 'Take a look and see how God is STILL in our schools!' 

Annie Laurie Gaylor, a Freedom from Religion Foundation official, told WXIA-TV: 'I can't remember another case like this. It's really misusing the authority of the coach to promote his personal religious agenda.'

She told the television station: 'It's forcing them to undergo a religious ritual to be accepted on a team. How are they going to cross their coach? They have no choice. It's proselytising, it's coercive, and it's not legal in our schools.'

Education officials criticised the school for allowing a religious ceremony to take place on the football field 

The baptism took place at the Villa Rica High School on the border between Georgia and Alabama  

Federal rules demand a clear separation between church and state including religious ceremonies in schools

Fox News commentator Todd Starnes wrote: 'Kevin Williams, the pastor of First Baptist Church, told me the football field baptisms were held after school and were completely voluntary.'

According to Starnes, a coach earlier requested a football field baptism, with baptisms requested by player converts to Christianity.

'We never meant to cause any problems for the school and we never thought we would get this much media attention for baptising kids,' Williams told Fox News.

Williams told the website: 'These people that got baptised – freely chose at a church service to accept Christ and this was a follow up to that.'

Pastor Kevin Williams of the First Baptist Church said everyone who was baptised had volunteered  

Villa Rica High School, pictured, is part of the Carroll County School District, which criticised the baptism