SURPREME COURT CASE
Engel v. Vitale
Katrina DeMoss and Erin Watts
AP Government
CASE BACKGROUND
In 1951, the Board of Regents for the State of New York authorized a voluntary,
nondenominational prayer at the start of each public school day. The students were
not required to participate in the daily prayers.
Though the prayers were considered nondenominational ,("Almighty God, we
acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and beg Thy blessings upon us, our teachers,
and our country."), a group of irritated families of public school children considered
the prayers contradictions to their personal religious beliefs. The case was put on the
supreme court docket, and the trial began on April 3rd 1962.
LEGAL QUESTION
Does reading a voluntary, nondenominational prayer
in public schools violate the first amendment.
(establishment of religion)?
Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof.
THE DECISION
Yes. Just because the prayers were considered non
denominational, and were recited on a voluntary basis, does
not mean that it is appropriate under the U.S constitution. It
was ruled that, by allowing the prayer, New York was
officially accepting religion, which contradicts the
establishment of religion clause in the first amendment. This
was decided in a 6 to one vote, in which one justice refused
to participate in for personal reasons.
Quote From Justice Hugo Black
Justice Hugo Black wrote: “We think that by using its public
school system to encourage recitation of the Regents’
prayer, the State of New York has adopted a practice
wholly inconsistent with the Establishment Clause…It is no
part of the business of government to compose official
prayers for any group of the American people to recite as a
part of a religious program carried on by government.”
THE PRECEDENT
Engel v. Vitale set a strong precedent
for similar court cases. It basically set
the record straight that Church and
state are meant to be kept separate
under our constitution. The verdict of
Engel v. Vitale helped to influence
many other cases.
PUBLIC SUPPORT
Although fewer in number, supporters of prayer were
also well organized, and amicus briefs were submitted
by twenty state attorneys general, and others. By and
large the supporters felt that the spirit of the
Establishment Clause was not violated in this case, and
that the Free Exercise Clause supported the presence
of non-coercive religious activities even in public
schools.
Judgment and Justification
Although a time set aside for voluntary prayer in public schools seems
harmless enough, it does violate the first amendment of the constitution. I
agree completely with the rulings of the supreme court. While it may be
an unpopular ruling, when speaking legally, it makes perfect sense.
QUESTIONS?
SOURCES
"Engel v. Vitale The Issue: Prayer in the Public Schools." Engel v. Vitale n.
pag. Web. 17 Feb 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/jefferson/enlight/prayer.htm>;
The Oyez Project, Engel v. Vitale , 370 U.S. 421 (1962)
available at: (http://oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1961/1961_468)
(last visited Thursday, February 17, 2011).
"Engel v. Vitale (1962)." Engel v. Vitale (1962) n. pag. Web. 17 Feb
2011. <http://billofrightsinstitute.org/page.aspx?pid=682>;
The case was pre-1962, which relates to the photo
above with the children praying.