▁Do e , ▁ 5 3 0 ▁U . S . ▁ 2 9 0 ▁( 2 0 0 0 ), ▁was ▁a ▁case ▁heard ▁before ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Supreme ▁Court . ▁It ▁ruled ▁that ▁a ▁policy ▁perm itting ▁student - led , ▁student - init i ated ▁prayer ▁at ▁high ▁school ▁football ▁games ▁viol ates ▁the ▁Est ab lish ment ▁Cla use ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Am end ment . ▁Or al ▁arguments ▁were ▁heard ▁March ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁court ▁announced ▁its ▁decision ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 9 , ▁holding ▁the ▁policy ▁un const itution al ▁in ▁a ▁ 6 – 3 ▁decision . ▁ ▁School ▁prayer ▁is ▁a ▁controvers ial ▁topic ▁in ▁American ▁juris pr ud ence . ▁ ▁Background ▁of ▁the ▁case ▁Santa ▁Fe ▁Independent ▁School ▁District ▁( SF IS D ) ▁is ▁a ▁rural ▁school ▁district ▁in ▁Texas ▁between ▁the ▁cities ▁of ▁Houston ▁and ▁Gal vest on . ▁Two ▁sets ▁of ▁students ▁and ▁their ▁moth ers ▁— ▁one ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter - Day ▁Sain ts , ▁the ▁other ▁Catholic ▁— file d ▁suit ▁against ▁the ▁school ▁district . ▁The ▁law suit ▁alleg ed ▁various ▁viol ations ▁of ▁the ▁Est ab lish ment ▁Cla use ▁and ▁asked ▁for ▁an ▁inj unction ▁to ▁prevent ▁pray ers ▁from ▁being ▁offered ▁at ▁the ▁gradu ation ▁ceremony . ▁In ▁his ▁decision , ▁Judge ▁Samuel ▁B . ▁Kent ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁Southern ▁District ▁of ▁Texas