By Pete Williams -
NBC News
The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a fired Washington state high school
football
coach for leading a prayer on the field with his players after a school game, a ruling that may lead to greater acceptance of religious expression. in public schools.
Joseph Kennedy became an assistant coach for the Bremerton High School football
team in 2008
and began offering a short prayer on the field after games were over and players and coaches gathered in midfield to shake hands. .
The school district ended up telling her to find a private place to pray.
But he refused and continued his practice of kneeling and praying at the 50-yard line.
He later invited reporters and a state legislator to come see him.
The district gave him a poor performance review, and he did not apply to renew his contract after the 2015
football
season . Kennedy sued the school district, claiming it had violated his right to free speech and religious freedom.
The federal courts said that by choosing to say his prayers in such a prominent place, he was acting as a public employee, so his conduct was not protected by the First Amendment.
Those rulings cited earlier Supreme Court decisions that said that when public employees act in their official capacity, they are speaking more on behalf of the government than on their own.
Kennedy now lives in Florida, but said if the Supreme Court ruled in his favor, he would return to Bremerton and try to get his job back as a part-time football coach.