Summary: The Case Of Engel Vs. Vitale

The case Engel v. Vitale was about a voluntary prayer in a public school that students were required to recite every morning before school started, which was introduced to the court as an issue by 10 parents of the students in that school. The prayer was only 22 words long, and cited this, “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country. Amen.” The prayer was approved by a New York board of regents or board of education in 1951. The purpose of the prayer was to teach a sense of citizenship and good character to the students of New York. Union District 9, in New Hyde Park, New York suggested that the prayer be said in the presence of a teacher and said out loud prior to class …show more content…
The parents wanted it banned. They filed suit on delineation that the prayer overstepped their religious beliefs and religious practices for themselves, and their children. The parents then insisted that the prayer violated the federal constitutions first amendment that the state should not make any laws in regards to religious matters, which was also stated in the fourteenth amendment of the New York constitution.
The main issue before the court was in the establishment Claus of the first amendment, which was included also in New York’s state constitution in the fourteenth amendment and violation between church and state. Several legal questions were identified. Question one was whether the New York Regents had interfered with the free action of everybody’s religion. The prayer was found to be clear of aiming towards one specific religion since it was very vague. Majority claimed that the prayer being said upon the

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Related Documents: Summary: The Case Of Engel Vs. Vitale

Supreme Court Case: Engel Vs Vitale