Changes

''Engel v. Vitale'', 370 U.S. 421 (1962) was the infamous [[U.S. Supreme Court]] decision that banned classrom prayer from [[public schools]].  Specifically, the Court ruled "state officials may not compose an official state prayer and require that it be recited in the public schools of the State at the beginning of each school day - even if the prayer is denominationally neutral and pupils who wish to do so may remain silent or be excused from the room while the prayer is being recited."[http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=370&invol=421]  

''Engel v. Vitale'', 370 U.S. 421 (1962) was the infamous [[U.S. Supreme Court]] decision that banned classrom prayer from [[public schools]].  Specifically, the Court ruled "state officials may not compose an official state prayer and require that it be recited in the public schools of the State at the beginning of each school day - even if the prayer is denominationally neutral and pupils who wish to do so may remain silent or be excused from the room while the prayer is being recited."[http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=370&invol=421]  

Justice [[Hugo Black]], known for his judicial hostility to religion and support of pornography as [[free speech]], wrote the opinion for the 6-1 Court.  Only Justice [[Potter Stewart]] dissented.  Justices [[Felix Frankfurter]] and [[Byron White]] recused themselves.

Justice [[Hugo Black]], known for his judicial hostility to [[religion]] and support of [[pornography]] as [[free speech]], wrote the opinion for the 6-1 Court.  Only Justice [[Potter Stewart]] dissented.  Justices [[Felix Frankfurter]] and [[Byron White]] recused themselves.

Justice Black's opinion is remarkable for citing only one precedent, establishing a modern record for lack of judicial authority.  His sole citation of precedent was to an opinion he wrote, ''[[Everson v. Board of Education]]'', and it was for the purpose of referencing some historical material included in that decision rather than for its holding.

Justice Black's opinion was remarkable for citing only one precedent, establishing a modern record for lack of judicial authority.  His sole citation of precedent was to an opinion he himself had written, ''[[Everson v. Board of Education]]'', and it was for the purpose of referencing some historical material included in that decision rather than for its holding.

   

   

Conservative legal scholars like Erwin Griswold, Dean of the Harvard Law School, criticized this ruling. Griswold said in a major speech that the Court had no authority to prohibit prayer in public school:<ref>''Washington Star'' (Mar. 3, 1963)</ref>

Conservative legal scholars like Erwin Griswold, Dean of the Harvard Law School, criticized this ruling. Griswold said in a major speech that the Court had no authority to prohibit prayer in public school:<ref>''Washington Star'' (Mar. 3, 1963)</ref>