He said it was constitutional because no one was forcing the kids to actually say the prayer and they had a choice of leaving the room while the prayer was being said.
The prayer was considered "non-denominational," but it is reasonable to argue that the prayer was primarily protestant in nature. The major opponents to the prayer were Jewish organizations.Case Citation:Engel v. Vitale, 370 US 421 (1962)
Engel v. Vitale began in the Union Free School District No. 9, in Hyde Park, New York, after parents of ten students objected to the New York Board of Regents' formal introduction of prayer into the schools and complained that directing the prayer to "Almighty God" was contradictory to their religious practices.Case Citation:Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962)
Constitutional lawCase Citation:Engel v. Vitale, 370 US 421 (1962)
Engel v. Vitale, (1962) began in the Union Free School District No. 9 in Hyde Park, New York, and was originally heard in the New York State court system.More InformationEngel v. Vitale, (1962) was the first major constitutional challenge to the exercise of religion, specifically prayer, in public schools. The US Supreme Court held the practice to be a violation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause.The case originated in the Union Free School District No. 9, in Hyde Park, New York, after parents of ten students objected to the New York Board of Regents' formal introduction of prayer into the schools and complained that directing the prayer to "Almighty God" was contradictory to their religious practices.Case Citation:Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962)For more information about Engel v. Vitale, and the Supreme Court's views about prayer in public schools, see Related Questions, below.
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The two cases most relating to school prayer are Engel v. Vitale (1962) andAbington Township School District v. Schempp (1963). The first case originated in NY and ruled that the school board could not require students to the recite a prayer they had written. Such required recitation was a form of state-mandated religion.The second case, filed by a Unitarian couple in Philadelphia, ruled that required school-sponsored reading of the Bible or the Lord's prayer was illegal.
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In Engel v. Vitale (1962), the Supreme Court ruled that the voluntary recitation of a school-sponsored prayer, even if non-denominational, violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The Court held that the government should not be involved in composing or endorsing religious activities in public schools, as it effectively promotes religion. This landmark decision reinforced the principle of separation of church and state in the context of public education.
The Petitioners (Engel), a group of ten parents of students in the Union Free School District No. 9, in Hyde Park, New York, prevailed over the New York Board of Regents. The parents objected to a state law permitting recitation of prayer in public school, based largely on the prayer being directed to "Almighty God," a practice contradictory to their religious beliefs.The US Supreme Court held that organized prayer in public school was a violation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause.Case Citation:Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962)For more information about Engel v. Vitale and prayer in public schools, see Related Questions, below.
The school district involved in Engel v. Vitale, (1962) is usually identified in case documents as Union Free School District No. 9, but is more commonly known as Herricks School District. It is located in Hyde Park, western Nassau County, New York.Case Citation:Engel v. Vitale, 370 US 421 (1962)
Steven L. Engel was the nominal petitioner (comparable to a plaintiff) in Engel v. Vitale, but his name was used to represent a group of ten families in Hyde Park, New York, who objected on religious grounds to a state law mandating schools lead students in a brief prayer at the start of each day.The nominal respondent (comparable to a defendant) was William J. Vitale, in his capacity as President of the Board of Education of Union Free School District No. 9 (aka Herricks School District).Case Citation:Engel v. Vitale, 370 US 421 (1962)For more information, see Related Questions, below.
Yes. Engel v. Vitale was the first US Supreme Court case that addressed the constitutionality of prayer in the public schools, and determined the practice was a violation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause.Case Citation:Engel v. Vitale, 370 US 421 (1962)For more information, see Related Questions, below.