(AgapePress) - A public school teacher in Nebraska has been reprimanded and threatened with termination for comments he made at a private prayer meeting.

Last spring, Bill Sloup and other teachers in the Seward School District received a letter informing them that the board would consider not renewing their contracts. During a private prayer meeting, Sloup expressed concerns with the district's "reduction in force" policy. At that meeting, he referred to a passage in the Book of Ephesians that says the battle is not against flesh and blood, but is a spiritual battle -- and requested prayer for people with the school district.

Shortly thereafter, Sloup was threatened with dismissal. He is now represented by Attorney Mat Staver with Liberty Counsel, who explains how his client's comments at the prayer meeting may have found their way to school officials.

"One of the individuals at the prayer meeting was a member that was an employee of the school district, and somehow that information got back to the school district officials," Staver says. "When it got back to the school district officials, they sent a letter to Mr. Sloup with a reprimand specifically referencing the comments made during the prayer meeting."

A lawsuit filed Wednesday claims the district and the superintendent violated Sloup's First Amendment right to free speech for threatening dismissal over the comments. Staver says the district's actions affected more than just his client.

"This particular action by the school district has instilled fear and has resulted in intimidation of all of the other school teachers," he says. "They're afraid to speak out, even in private prayer meetings for fear that their jobs would be placed in jeopardy."

"We filed a federal lawsuit asking for a preliminary injunction so that Mr. Sloup won't have to fear the next time he goes to church that by merely asking for prayer his job would be in jeopardy."

Staver anticipates the suit will move quickly because Sloup is currently in a state of "irreparable harm." [Read Liberty Councel's Press Release].

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