Video: 'Is Prayer Allowed at Public School? | Engel v. Vitale'

(Monday, June 25, 1962) — In Engel v. Vitale, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-1 today that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools, due to violation of the First Amendment.

The case was brought after the school board of New Hyde Park, New York, had ordered each class to start the school day with the prayer, “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers, and our Country,” under the recommendation of the state Board of Regents.

Video: 'Engel v. Vitale, EXPLAINED [AP Gov Required Cases]'

The plaintiffs argued that opening the school day with such a prayer violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution (as applied to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment), which states, in part, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”

Today’s decision affected an estimated 39,000,000 public school students.