Supreme Court sides with high school football coach who prayed on field

A high school football coach was put on paid leave for praying on the field.

The U.S. Supreme Court sided with a Washington state high school football coach who knelt and prayed on the field in a new landmark decision.

The court voted 6-3 in favor of former Bremerton High (Wash.) coach Joseph Kennedy, who initially prayed alone on the 50-yard line at the end of games, but was also then joined by his students in the prayers.

Over time, he also gave short, inspirational talks to his players which sometimes included religious references, in addition to leading locker room prayers.

In 2015, the Bremerton school district asked Kennedy to stop, fearing legal action against itself from the belief that the prayers violated students' religious freedom rights.

Kennedy stopped leading students in prayer in the locker room and on the field, but continued to pray alone on the field. Students were free to join him if they wished.

But the school still asked Kennedy to stop the practice while "on duty" as coach after football games. When he continued to pray alone on the field, the school put him on paid leave.

Critics of Kennedy argued that his partaking in any religious practice while fulfilling his duties as an official in a public institution violates the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which forbids public bodies from endorsing religion.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," according to the First Amendment.

Kennedy's supporters and legal team argued that the coach's expression fell within the bounds of speech protected by the First Amendment.

Six of the nine sitting U.S. Supreme Court justices agreed.

“The Constitution and the best of our traditions counsel mutual respect and tolerance, not censorship and suppression, for religious and nonreligious views alike,” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority.

Kennedy celebrated the decision, saying, “This is just so awesome. All I’ve ever wanted was to be back on the field with my guys. I thank God for answering our prayers and sustaining my family through this long battle.”

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