PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A federal appeals court has ruled that a New Jersey school board was within its rights to tell a football coach he cannot kneel and bow his head as members of his team pray before games.

From the time Marcus Borden became coach at East Brunswick High School in 1983, he was deeply involved in team prayers. For a time, he even led them. In 2005, school officials received complaints and asked him to stop.

He then sued the school board seeking to be allowed to bow his head and kneel when students led their own prayers. A lower-court judge found that should be allowed.

But a three-judge panel of the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed that decision, with two of the judges finding that Borden's actions would appear to endorse religion.

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