Engel v Vitale
A non-denominational prayer was permitted in a school district in New York. It was voluntary and said the following: “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessing upon us, our teachers, and our Country. Amen.” A Jewish parent named Steven Engel was one of 5 parents that sued the school board and its president William Vitale Jr. They cited the Establishment Clause (separating church and state) and the Due Process Clause (preventing the state from restricting first amendment rights).
Breakdown Verdict.
The court ruled 6-1 in favor of reversing the public prayer. Justice Hugo Black led by writing the majority opinion and mentioned that religious freedom is a liberty that was a core principle of the nation when it was created. The main idea was that religion and the general public should be respective entities, and a school prayer wrongly blurs those lines together.
Result Going Forward.
Congress widely disapproved of this ruling, and in fact proposed a constitutional amendment called the School Prayer Amendment. The debate continues as to whether to completely split apart religion and schools or to allow individual prayer in schools as part of personal freedoms. A main component of this conflict is a phrase in the pledge that defines America as “one nation, under God.”
Do you agree with the verdict?
0%
0%