The Freedom From Religion Foundation has sent a letter of complaint to Oak Grove High School in west Jefferson County, alleging religious coercion on the football team.

The religious motto, “God, Team, Me,” has been posted in the team’s locker room and official team shirts, according to the group’s complaint.

The playoff hoodies in 2023 included a Bible verse, Proverbs 27:17, the group complained.

The Freedom From Religion group, based in Madison, Wisconsin, sent a letter urging the coach to immediately stop engaging in religious activity or otherwise promoting his personal religious beliefs in his role as a football coach, and for the district to remove the godly motto and make certain that official district apparel no longer includes religious messages or bible verses

“Jefferson County Schools must ensure that this school-sponsored religious coercion ends immediately,” Freedom From Religion Foundation staff attorney Chris Line wrote to Superintendent Walter B. Gonsoulin Jr.

Gonsoulin’s office has not yet responded to a request for comment. Efforts to reach coach Chris Musso were not immediately successful.

Students have the First Amendment right to be free from religious indoctrination in their public schools, the Freedom From Religion group argues.

“The district must see to it that players are not being required to pray to play or otherwise expected to wear clothing with religious slogans or walk past religious signage,” Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of Freedom From Religion, said. “Religious coercion in sports programs unfortunately is all-too-frequent — and these violations against freedom of conscience need to be curbed.”

The group earlier this year credited itself for having a biblical verse painted on the side of a dugout removed by the Mobile County School System.

In 2023, the group criticized Auburn University for an event which featured head football coach Hugh Freeze and other prominent Auburn figures baptizing students.