Prayer in School
Critical Analysis
In 1962, with its ruling in Engel v. Vitale, the U.S. Supreme Court banned school sponsored prayer in public schools. According to the data from the graph above, today, what portion of Americans approve of this ruling?
Identify one trend you from the graph above.
Explain why public opinion on this matter doesn’t actually impact current government school prayer policy.
If the US Supreme Court were to revisit its ruling today, with its current 6-3 conservative majority, do you imagine it would reach the same conclusion?
If the US held a referendum on this issue, how do you think the US would vote?
Imagine that you were a Justice on today's US Supreme Court. Justice:_____________ Explain how you would rule in the case of Engel v. Vitale.
Let's say that you were a member of Congress and you were outraged at the ruling from Engel v. Vitale. What specifically could you do about it and what specifically could the POTUS do about this issue?
How does age impact opinion on school prayer?*
They say that as long as there are tests in school there will be prayer in school. Is this true or false?
Explain how you think people in the following groups would feel about the Supreme Court's ruling in Engel v. Vitale:
typical U.S. liberal
typical U.S. Libertarian
Chief Justice Earl Warren
The interest group: Americans United for the Separation of Church and State
The official platform of the Republican Party
President Joseph Biden
the average American
“Drumstick” the Turkey who was pardoned by Donald Trump on Thanksgiving 2017.
Learning Extension
Read about the history of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment at the National Constitution Center. And learn more about all the required AP Government Landmark Supreme Court Cases.
Action Extension
Contact your school principal, superintendent, school board member, or school district lawyer and ask them to speak to your class about the separation of church and state and how it affects their job and your school.
