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Mandatory Non-Denominational Prayer In Schools Case Study

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A group of parents and students challenged the New York State Board of Regents mandatory non-denominational prayer in school. A parent sued the school, arguing that law had violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Engel claimed that the prayer violated the 1st amendment, freedom of religion. Plaintiff being Steven I. Engel, defendant as William J. Vitale. This was located at Herricks School District argued on April 3, 1962. Finally it was decided June 25, 1962, of a Conclusion 6-1 decision towards Engel.

A parent sued the school of the New York State Board of Regents mandatory non-denominational prayer in school. The parent said the law violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. You cannot force religion upon someone or a group of people. You need Freedom of religion and you cannot say or tell someone to do this or to make them do something they don’t wish to do. Also freedom of speech as you can say what you believe in and why. …show more content…

The Regents ' prayer quite simply and clearly violated the 1st Amendment and should, therefore, be barred from the schools. The school had replied with the New York Regents did not establish a religion by providing a prayer for those who wanted to say it. Countless religious affairs are associated with the government. Reflecting the religious heritage of the nation. New York acted properly and constitutionally in providing an optional, nonsectarian prayer. It would be an intrusion into State matters for the Supreme Court to strike down the right of the Regents to compose the prayer and encourage its

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Vitale. The case of Engel v. Vitale was brought up by a group of families from New Hyde park, New York, they were up against the voluntary prayer written by the state board to God, in other words, the study board wrote a Christian prayer up for public students who wants it. A group of parent under their leader Steven Engel(a jihadist) were not Christians and they believed this prayer contradicted their religion, they argued opening a public school with such prayer violates the clause of the first Amendment and the fourteenth amendment. At the end of this case, the court ruled government- written prayers may not be recited in public schools because it violates the first amendment. However these public school students were given a choice they were not forced to pray this prayer, moreover, this particular prayer was not sponsored by taxpayer’s money.

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