Clarksville School Resource Officer Suspended For Citing Scripture & Praying With Football Players

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –

After quoting from the Bible and praying with his players, a Clarksville school resource officer (SRO) and volunteer assistant football coach has been put on administrative leave and is under official investigation by the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS).

A spokesman for the district said they are reviewing complaints of Campbell “proselytizing” in his official capacity as a public employee. Proselytizing is defined as recruiting or converting someone to one’s own faith, institution, or cause and is primarily used in religious terms but can include political or other ideological beliefs.

According to the statement issued by CMCSS, Deputy Lawrence “Trey” Campbell, who is also the Northwest High assistant football coach, was witnessed at last Friday’s football game “spending significant time throughout the game on the sidelines with players and other students, quoting Scripture, holding a Bible up to spectators, and leading prayers.” Another video supposedly showed Campbell leading a “faith over fear” chant in front of the student section.

Witnesses also claim this enthusiastic faith-led behavior had begun earlier in the day, reportedly corroborated by video footage which showed Campbell carrying a Bible with him throughout the day and speaking with students while quoting Scripture as they entered in the morning, in the cafeteria, and other areas of the school.

During the football game, Campbell was supposedly asked to put his Bible away and stop “causing a disruption” by principal Brandi Blackley, but he declined to do so reportedly saying, “I can’t do it, won’t do it,” and “my job is to save these babies”.

Some witnesses stated they thought Campbell’s behavior to be “extreme,” “defiant”, and “unreasonable” but consistently noted they had never seen him act in this manner before.

“Campbell has otherwise been an outstanding SRO, coach, and valued member of the Northwest High School community. He has built positive relationships with students, families and staff, and has contributed to the safety and well-being of the school,” said the CMCSS spokesman.

The statement also maintains that after being confronted by school administration, Campbell chose to leave the game of his own volition “in a very emotional state” accompanied by a Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) colleague and was not escorted out by law enforcement as prior reports claimed.

“I stood by my faith because that’s what I told my boys they needed to do,” said Campbell. “I told them I love them, but this was just the beginning of their journey with Christ, and that this is what it looks like when you are doing right by the Lord: The enemy does whatever he can to draw you from the Lord.”

The school claims, “The concerns were not about private prayer or personal religious beliefs. CMCSS fully supports and respects the constitutional rights of all students, employees and visitors to practice their faith, including the right to pray privately. However, federal law and the U.S. Constitution place limits on the actions of public employees, including educators, coaches and SROs, when they are acting in their official capacities.”

They also cite court rulings disallowing public employees to use their positions to proselytize or promote religion in school settings.

Deputy Campbell has also been placed on paid leave by the Sheriff’s Office which oversees the SROs at CMCSS schools, and the department is conducting its own investigation.

In a statement to Clarksville Now, Sheriff John Fuson said, “The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office firmly stands behind any citizen who chooses to lawfully exercise their constitutional rights. This includes our employees. As a man of faith, I was equally concerned about the initial information regarding this and how it appeared to have been handled. With that, I also acknowledge that there are always two sides to consider. The incident involving Coach Campbell, in his capacity as a volunteer assistant coach with Northwest High School is being reviewed by CMCSS.”

Fuson also believes that given the level of attention the matter is receiving he, “felt it would be best to allow Deputy Campbell a couple of paid days off to process all of this. This is to help ensure that upon his return, he could continue his SRO duties without distraction. This will also allow CMCSS to complete its review. Once the CMCSS review is complete, we will move forward in the most positive direction for our agency.”

He confirmed that at this point Campbell’s assignment and status have not changed as one of two SROs at Northwest High.
Anthony Daley, Senior Pastor of Mosaic church in Clarksville and home church to Campbell, briefly touched on the subject in his Sunday sermon, saying, “I just want to say I am so proud of you [Campbell] for wearing your faith boldly and unashamedly. We love you big, man. You’re representing us all. And that’s the beautiful thing, right? That when you represent Jesus, you’re representing the community of Christ.”

About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.