Prayer in the public schools : the impact of Engel v. Vitale.

Conflicts concerning the role of religion in the public schools have been numerous. In 1962 the United States Supreme Court ruled in Engel v. Vitale that classroom use of a prayer composed by the New York State Board of Regents was in conflict with the establishment clause of the First Amendment. Dissenting from Justice Black's majority opinion, Justice Stewart emphasized that the Supreme Court had erred in denying the free exercise of religion to students desiring to participate in prayer activity. Public opinion polls conducted in the 1960s indicated that the Supreme Court's decisions in the Engle case and in the Schempp-Murray case (1963) ran contrary to the preference of nearly three-fourths of America's adult population. Nevertheless, the pro-prayer majority failed to mobilize congressional support needed to propose a prayer amendment, such as those introduced by Becker, Dirksen, and Wylie. Some state governments and local school boards have continued to require, encourage, or permit religious activities in public schools. In 1976 the Arkansas legislature passed "An Act Relating to the Public School System, Including Certain Provisions Applicable as Well to Private and Public Schools and Providing for Period of Meditation and Prayer; and for other Purposes." It remains to be seen whether a teacher-supervised period of silent prayer or meditation, which officially is not intended to be conducted as a religious service or exercise, can be administered without a court challenge. Thus, the public school prayer controversy that began with the Engel decision has continued for fifteen years, and the end is not in sight.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

1977

Author dc:creator

• Hampton, Rick, 1948-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Brown, Lyle C.

• Religion in the public schools -- Law and legislation.
• Schools -- Prayers.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/13536

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/13536