Jonah Patel
The constitutional issue in Engel v. Vitale was whether a public school classroom prayer, if optional and denominationally neutral, violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. The case centred on the power of a state to aid religious instruction through its public school system. The Supreme Court ruled that official recitation of prayers in public schools violated the First Amendment's prohibition of a state establishment of religion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1962 |
| Court | U.S. Supreme Court |
| Decision | Ruled in favor of the parents |
| Vote | 6-1 |
| Justices dissenting | Potter Stewart |
| Justice writing for the majority | Hugo L. Black |
| Prayer | "Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country." |
| Prayer author | New York State Board of Regents |
| Prayer type | Non-denominational |
| Constitutional issue | First Amendment violation |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The Supreme Court ruled that school-sponsored prayer in public schools violated the First Amendment
- The ruling stated that state officials may not compose official prayers for schools
- The decision caused outrage and criticism of the Warren Court
- The case established that states cannot hold prayers in public schools, even if they are voluntary
- The ruling was celebrated by most American Jewish groups
The Supreme Court ruled that school-sponsored prayer in public schools violated the First Amendment
In 1951, the New York State Board of Regents proposed that public schools start each day with a non-denominational prayer. Schools were authorised, but not required, to adopt this recommendation. The prayer read: "Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country. Amen."
In July 1958, the Herricks Union Free School District adopted the proposal. In 1958–59, a group of parents in Hyde Park, New York, objected to the prayer and sued the school board president, William Vitale. They argued that the prayer violated the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. Lower New York courts ruled in favour of the school board, prompting the parents to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In Engel v. Vitale, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the parents, deciding that school-sponsored prayer in public schools violated the First Amendment. The ruling stated that state officials may not compose official prayers and encourage their recitation in public schools, even if the prayers are non-denominational and students can opt out of reciting them. The Court's decision was based on the history of religious discrimination and intolerance in England and early colonial America, which demonstrated a widespread awareness of the dangers of a union between church and state.
The ruling caused outrage and harsh criticism of the Court, particularly from southern politicians. In response, the Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on five measures to overturn the decision. The Court, however, stood firm and further expanded the reasoning of the school prayer decision in later cases.
Years Since March 9: Time Flies So Fast
You may want to see also
The ruling stated that state officials may not compose official prayers for schools
In Engel v. Vitale, the United States Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools. The ruling stated that state officials may not compose official prayers for schools, even if the prayer is denominationally neutral, and pupils may remain silent or be excused during the prayer. The Court found that there was indirect coercion of religious minorities, and the practice breached the "wall of separation between Church and State".
The case centred around a 22-word non-denominational prayer proposed by the New York Board of Regents in 1951. The prayer was as follows: "Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country. Amen." The Herricks Union Free School District adopted the proposal in July 1958, and teachers led students in the prayer every morning.
Five parents of public school students attending Herricks High School in New Hyde Park sued the school board president, William J. Vitale Jr., challenging the constitutionality of the prayer. The plaintiffs, two of whom were Jewish, one an atheist, one a Unitarian church member, and one a member of the New York Society for Cultural Ethics, argued that the prayer violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the enactment of any law "respecting an establishment of religion".
The ruling in Engel v. Vitale has been highly controversial and was followed by intense debate and community backlash. It set a precedent for subsequent decisions limiting government-directed prayer in schools, including rulings against clergy-led prayers at graduation ceremonies, student-led prayers at football games, and time set aside during the school day for prayer or meditation.
The Constitution's Guiding Principles Explored
You may want to see also
The decision caused outrage and criticism of the Warren Court
The decision in Engel v. Vitale caused outrage and criticism of the Warren Court. The ruling was that it was unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools, due to a violation of the First Amendment. This decision was met with intense debate and negative reactions, particularly from members of Congress and religious groups.
Frank J. Becker, for instance, called the decision "the most tragic decision in the history of the United States". He introduced a proposed constitutional amendment to allow religious exercises in public schools. The Senate Judiciary Committee, led by James Eastland, held hearings on five measures to overturn the Engel v. Vitale decision. They argued that the Court's broad interpretation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prohibited non-denominational prayer.
The ruling in Engel v. Vitale added to the existing anger towards the Warren Court, especially among white Protestants in the South and Midwest, over its earlier school desegregation decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Politicians such as George Andrews of Alabama and James Eastland of Mississippi criticised the Court by referencing both desegregation and prayer in schools.
On the other hand, the American Jewish Congress praised the Engel v. Vitale decision, calling it "a great milestone". Most American Jewish groups celebrated the outcome, as did some liberal Christians. However, Catholic clergy expressed strong disapproval. Cardinal Spellman, for example, said that the decision "strikes at the very heart of the Godly tradition in which America's children have for so long been raised".
Federalism's Constitutional Roots: Exploring the Document's Core Principles
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The case established that states cannot hold prayers in public schools, even if they are voluntary
In 1951, the Board of Regents of New York proposed that public schools start each day with a non-denominational prayer. Schools were authorised, but not required, to adopt this recommendation. This prayer, known as The Regents' Prayer, was written by the New York State Board of Regents and read:
> "Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country. Amen."
In 1958, the Herricks Union Free School District adopted the proposal. In 1958-59, a group of parents in Hyde Park, New York, objected to the prayer and sued the school board president, William Vitale. This group was led by Steven Engel and included several other parents and children. They argued that the prayer violated the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. Lower New York courts upheld the prayer, prompting the parents to file a successful appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In Engel v. Vitale, the Supreme Court ruled that school-sponsored prayer in public schools, even if voluntary and non-denominational, violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The Establishment Clause prohibits laws respecting an establishment of religion. The Supreme Court's ruling, written by Justice Hugo Black, concluded that state officials may not compose official state prayers and require that they be recited in public schools. Black focused on the history of religious discrimination and intolerance in England and early Colonial America, which showed that Americans had a "widespread awareness [...] of the dangers of a union of Church and State" by the time of the U.S. Constitution's adoption.
The ruling caused outrage and harsh criticism of the Warren Court, with Justice Potter Stewart dissenting and arguing that the majority had "misapplied a great constitutional principle". The decision led to a massive public backlash, with some members of Congress attacking the Warren Court and referencing school desegregation and prayer in schools. It also resulted in internal debate within the Jewish community about the role of religion in the public sphere, with most American Jewish groups celebrating the decision. In contrast, Catholic clergy expressed strong disapproval.
What Violates the Constitution?
You may want to see also
The ruling was celebrated by most American Jewish groups
The ruling in Engel v. Vitale was celebrated by most American Jewish groups. The case was brought by a group of families and institutions dedicated to the Jewish faith, two of the five parents involved in the case were Jewish, and several national Jewish organizations submitted briefs seeking the invalidation of the prayer. The American Jewish Congress called the case "a great milestone".
The ruling in Engel v. Vitale was a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court, holding that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools, due to a violation of the First Amendment. The First Amendment was added to the Constitution to guarantee that the power or prestige of the Federal Government would not be used to control, support, or influence the kinds of prayer that Americans could say. The ruling in Engel v. Vitale established that states cannot hold prayers in public schools, even if the prayer is voluntary and non-denominational.
The decision in Engel v. Vitale was based on the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the enactment of any law "respecting an establishment of religion." The Establishment Clause had been incorporated into the Fourteenth Amendment's due process protections prior to the Engel decision, and the Supreme Court had previously applied it to state law in Everson v. Board of Education in 1947, establishing a "wall of separation between church and State."
The ruling in Engel v. Vitale was controversial and provoked outrage among the American public, with a Gallup poll showing that seventy-nine percent of Americans disapproved of the ruling. However, it was celebrated by most American Jewish groups, likely due to the historical context of the increasing pluralism and secularism in the United States, and the heightened Jewish support for religious freedom following the Holocaust. The National Association of Evangelicals, the National Council of Churches, and The Christian Century also opposed proposals to overturn the decision.
Who Approves Cabinet Members? The Senate's Role Explained
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The constitutional issue in Engel v. Vitale was whether it was constitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools.
The ruling in Engel v. Vitale was that school-sponsored prayer in public schools violated the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the parents, agreeing that the prayer violated the prohibition of a state establishment of religion.
The Engel v. Vitale ruling resulted in a massive public backlash against the Supreme Court, particularly from religious groups. The Court stood by its decision and further expanded the reasoning in later cases. The ruling also led to attempts to overturn the decision, with the Senate Judiciary Committee holding hearings on five measures to do so.
