The Freedom From Religion Foundation is applauding a ruling against a praying football coach.

A three-judge panel at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled in favor of Washington’s Bremerton School District, which did not renew the coach’s contract after he refused to stop praying on the job.

Joe Kennedy had been singled out for praise by then-President Trump, including in a speech from the Oval Office on Religious Freedom Day and has been a darling of Christian Nationalist organizations. Kennedy also became beloved among extremist members of Congress, some of whom signed a friend-of-the-court brief on his behalf. Not surprisingly, he was defended by the theocratic Liberty Institute.

The school district told Kennedy that he could not use his position as a school employee to promote religion to a captive audience of students. He was ordered to stop praying with students in September 2015. Kennedy announced that he would pray at an upcoming game despite the district’s order. FFRF backed the district up and asked it to dismiss Kennedy if he continued imposing his beliefs on the students he coached.

After Kennedy defied the school administration’s instructions, he was eventually placed on administrative leave and was not rehired the following year. Kennedy then sued and sought a preliminary injunction against the school system, which was denied by the district court and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.