Supreme Court of the United States School Dist. of Abington Tp. v. Schempp, 374 U.S. 203 (1963) School District of Abington Township, Pennsylvania v. Schempp No. 142 Argued February 27-28, 1963 Decided June 17, 1963* 374 U.S. 203.
Facts: The Supreme Court of the United States heard the School District of Abington Township, Pennsylvania v. Schempp case on February 27-28, 1963, and reached a verdict on June 17, 1963. The plaintiffs, Edward Louis Schempp and Sidney Gerber Schempp, were the parents of Roger Wade Schempp and Donna Kay Schempp, two minors who lived in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania at the time of the case. The family sued in federal court, detailing that students at Abington Senior High School, were to read 10 verses of the Holy Bible, that was broadcast to each room in the building. …show more content…
The students were in separate classrooms and directed to stand and join in repeating the prayer in unison. The exercises were closed with the flag salute. The student reading the verses from the Bible may select the passages and read from any version he chooses, although the only copies furnished by the school are the King James version, copies of which were circulated to each teacher by the school district. During the period in which the exercises were conducted, various versions of the Bible were used, as well as the Jewish Holy Scriptures. Both Edward Schempp and his children testified as to the specific religious doctrines done by a literal reading of the Bible, "which were contrary to the religious beliefs which they held, and to their familial teaching, violated their rights. The court ruled that the government's support of Christianity was inappropriate and that the Establishment Clause was established to prevent favoritism
Facts: The Supreme Court of the United States heard the School District of Abington Township, Pennsylvania v. Schempp case on February 27-28, 1963, and reached a verdict on June 17, 1963. The plaintiffs, Edward Louis Schempp and Sidney Gerber Schempp, were the parents of Roger Wade Schempp and Donna Kay Schempp, two minors who lived in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania at the time of the case. The family sued in federal court, detailing that students at Abington Senior High School, were to read 10 verses of the Holy Bible, that was broadcast to each room in the building. …show more content…
The students were in separate classrooms and directed to stand and join in repeating the prayer in unison. The exercises were closed with the flag salute. The student reading the verses from the Bible may select the passages and read from any version he chooses, although the only copies furnished by the school are the King James version, copies of which were circulated to each teacher by the school district. During the period in which the exercises were conducted, various versions of the Bible were used, as well as the Jewish Holy Scriptures. Both Edward Schempp and his children testified as to the specific religious doctrines done by a literal reading of the Bible, "which were contrary to the religious beliefs which they held, and to their familial teaching, violated their rights. The court ruled that the government's support of Christianity was inappropriate and that the Establishment Clause was established to prevent favoritism