A federal judge on Friday questioned arguments from a school district lawyer asking that a central Indiana high school be allowed to have a prayer said during its graduation ceremony.

Top-ranked Greenwood High School senior Eric Workman filed the lawsuit, along with the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, seeking to block the prayer that the senior class voted to approve, 6News' Derrik Thomas reported.

He claims the prayer and vote unconstitutionally subject religious practice to majority rule. The suit cites Supreme Court precedents prohibiting school-sponsored prayer.

"I think it is important for Mr. Workman and many people because we don't want the government interfering and mandating religious beliefs," said ACLU Attorney Ken Falk.

Greenwood schools attorney Judy Woods said Friday that the district's case was different from existing Supreme Court precedents on school prayer.

"High school graduations have had invocations as long as they have been playing 'Pomp and Circumstance.' This is not new. This is not something that is going to go away," Woods said.

Judge Sarah Evans Barker seemed dismissive of those claims during the hearing. Barker said that she would issue a ruling soon as the graduation ceremony is May 28.

Workman did not attend Friday's hearing.