Prayer in public school was prevalent enough to be challenged in court. An old joke, after the decision, was that as long as there are pop quizzes kids will be praying in school.
The 1962 Supreme Court case Engel v. Vitale ruled that school-sponsored prayer in public schools is unconstitutional. The ruling was based on the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
What happened in the case?
A group of organizations challenged a New York State Board of Regents policy that authorized a short, voluntary prayer at the start of each school day
The Supreme Court ruled 6–1 that the policy violated the Establishment Clause
The court's opinion was written by Hugo L. Black
Why was the ruling made?
The ruling was made at a time when the United States was becoming more pluralistic and secular
The court ruled that the government cannot hold prayers in public schools, even if participation is not required
The court ruled that religious choices should be made freely and outside of the classroom
How has the ruling been received?
Some have hailed the ruling as a victory for religious freedom
Others have criticized the ruling as a blow to the nation's religious traditions
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