Prayer is back in the news, but should it in the public school
Prayer is back in the news, but should it in the school. Don’t know much about history Don’t know much biology Don’t know much about a science book Turns out Sam Cooke wasn’t the only one with a problem with school. First a little history. In 1962’s Engel v Vitale , the Supreme Court ruled New York’s practice of opening the school day with prayer violated the Establishment Clause. Justice Black wrote the Establishment Clause was violated when school put "indirect coercive pressure upon religious minorities to conform to the officially approved religion." In 1985’s Wallace v Jaffree the state of Alabama tried to skirt Engel by calling for a "period of silence for meditation or silent prayer ." Believing that making the “period” optional and not mandatory, Alabama thought it could escape the coercive claim. But the court ruled 5-4 against Alabama on the grounds it failed the Lemon Test: Government action violates the Estab...