Why would the Supreme Court rule, as they did in Engel v. Vitale, that a public school district cannot compose a school prayer to begin the school day?
responses
Public schools are government institutions and cannot establish religious practices.
Students are citizens and should not be forced to do things they don’t agree with.
It would take away parents’ rights to practice a different religion at home.
Taxpayers should agree before being asked to fund religious activities in public schools.
Which answer is it?
The first response, "Public schools are government institutions and cannot establish religious practices," is the primary reason why the Supreme Court ruled against composing a school prayer in Engel v. Vitale.
The correct answer is: Public schools are government institutions and cannot establish religious practices.
The correct answer is: Public schools are government institutions and cannot establish religious practices.
The Supreme Court ruled in Engel v. Vitale (1962) that a public school district cannot compose a school prayer to begin the school day because it violates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. This clause prohibits the government, including public schools, from establishing or endorsing any religion. Making prayer a mandatory part of the school day would be seen as an endorsement of a specific religious practice, which is unconstitutional in the public school setting.
To arrive at this answer, we can examine the constitutional principle of the separation of church and state, as interpreted by the Supreme Court. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prevents the government from favoring one religion over another or promoting religious practices in public institutions like schools. Thus, the Supreme Court ruled that public schools should not establish or endorse religious practices, including composing a school prayer, as it would violate the principle of religious neutrality and infringe upon the rights of students and their families to practice their own religions or no religion at all.
It is important to note that the other options listed in the responses also raise valid concerns related to religious freedom and individual rights, but in the context of the specific question about why the Supreme Court ruled against school prayer in Engel v. Vitale, the primary reason is the constitutional prohibition on government establishment of religion.