Supreme Court Takes Up Case Of Ex-High School Coach Who Prayed On The Field

The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of a former high school football coach who was told to stop praying on the field following games.

When Joseph Kennedy was hired as an assistant coach at Bremerton High School in 2008, he began offering a prayer at the 50-yard line at the end of every game.

School officials told Kennedy to stop praying in the middle of the field and said he needed to find a private place to pray. Kennedy refused and continued to pray following games.

In 2015, the school conducted a performance review and chose not to offer Kennedy a new contract. He responded by filing a lawsuit, accusing the school district of violating his First Amendment rights of free expression and religious freedom.

Kennedy's legal battle got off to a rocky start after several lower courts ruled that he was acting as a public employee when he prayed in the middle of the field and that his conduct was not protected by the First Amendment.

Now, his case has a second chance as the conservative-majority Supreme Court has agreed to examine his lawsuit. 

A decision is expected in June.