Engel v. Vitale
370 U.S. 421 (1962)
📄 Read the Actual Opinion
U.S. Reports opinion (PDF) →📋 Summary of the Opinion
The New York Board of Regents authorized a short, voluntary prayer to be recited in public schools. Parents challenged it, and the Supreme Court ruled that state-sponsored prayer in public schools violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
⚖️ Why It Mattered
This was the first case to clearly ban official school prayer. It reinforced the separation of church and state in the public education system.
✅ What It Provided or Took Away
✅ Provided:
Stronger enforcement of the Establishment Clause against public institutions.
❌ Took Away:
The ability of state officials to compose and mandate prayers in public schools.
🤔 Overreach or Proper Role?
The Court acted within its constitutional duty, preventing government from endorsing religion. Critics called it judicial activism, but the decision became a cornerstone of religious liberty jurisprudence.
💡 Plain-English Impact Today
Public schools cannot organize or mandate prayer. Students are free to pray individually, but the government cannot endorse or require it.