In 1951 the Board of Regents for the state of New York authorized a short, voluntary prayer for the recitation at the start of each school day at New Hyde Park Schools, in which the students mentioned their dependence upon God. However students could be excused from reciting the prayer if necessary. Steven Engel, a parent of two children in the New Hyde Park Schools, argued that the law violated the establishment clause of the first amendment, as made applicable to the states through the due process clause of the fourteenth amendment and asked a state court to order the prayer to be dropped. Engel’s direct sue was to the head of the school board, William J. Vitale, Jr.. The issue was whether school-sponsored nondenominational prayers in public schools violates the first amendment.
The Supreme Court ruled in Engel’s favor, 6 to 1 (Two of the nine justices did not vote). The outcome was that under the first amendment’s prohibition no one has the power to prescribe [you in] any particular form of prayer. Even though the prayer was voluntary, it still couldn’t be saved from being …show more content…
Vitale (1962) - Prayers in Public Schools). Engel v. Vitale was also the first case to have prohibited government and school sponsored prayers from occurring. In a previous case called Zorach v. Clauson (1952) public schools allowed students to receive religious training during school hours but under one condition, it had to be off school campus (Engel v. Vitale - Significance). As a result parents didn’t think it was right because they thought the schools were teaching the students about God and their dependence upon him. Another key point is that Engel v. Vitale is a landmark case in US history because it set the precedent for the separation of church and
The Supreme Court ruled in Engel’s favor, 6 to 1 (Two of the nine justices did not vote). The outcome was that under the first amendment’s prohibition no one has the power to prescribe [you in] any particular form of prayer. Even though the prayer was voluntary, it still couldn’t be saved from being …show more content…
Vitale (1962) - Prayers in Public Schools). Engel v. Vitale was also the first case to have prohibited government and school sponsored prayers from occurring. In a previous case called Zorach v. Clauson (1952) public schools allowed students to receive religious training during school hours but under one condition, it had to be off school campus (Engel v. Vitale - Significance). As a result parents didn’t think it was right because they thought the schools were teaching the students about God and their dependence upon him. Another key point is that Engel v. Vitale is a landmark case in US history because it set the precedent for the separation of church and