The US Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday on the case of a high school football coach fired from his job for having allegedly prayed with his football players after a game. The court’s decision, expected by June, could revise earlier understandings about when prayer is permitted in public schools, the rights of government employees and what counts as pressuring students to participate in religious activities.

Joseph Kennedy in Bremerton, Washington State, would habitually kneel and offer prayers after games. As time went on, many of his players joined him in the routine. But after the school board in Bremerton, Wash., told him to stop mixing football and faith on the field, he left the job and sued, with lower courts rejecting his argument that the board had violated his First Amendment rights.

He says he sought only to offer a brief, silent and solitary prayer, little different from saying grace before a meal in the school cafeteria. However, from the school board’s perspective, the public nature of his prayers and his stature as a leader and role model meant that students felt forced to participate, whatever their religion and whether they wanted to or not.