A federal court has signaled that it is leaning toward banning New York City churches from using public school buildings for worship services.

This week the 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals in New York heard arguments on whether New York can ban churches from public schools after-hours.

The court said on Monday that after-hours worship services for Christian churches exalt the religion above others which is against the Constitution.

Two of the three judges on the panel aggressively went after a lawyer for the Bronx Household of Faith. The two judges had ruled against the churches once before.

Sixteen years ago, the Bronx Household of Faith sued the city over a school policy preventing churches from holding worship services in public schools. 

The court did not immediately rule on the case this week.